pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!


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Forever… and Daily

Reading: Psalm 90:1-6

Psalm 90:2 – “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.”

The first part of our Psalm for this week celebrates God’s eternal nature. Enfolded within God’s eternity is our human existence. The psalmist rejoiced in this reality in verse 1, where Moses writes, “Lord, through all generations you have been our home!” Since Adam and Eve first walked the earth, God has sought us out for relationship and connection. While not everyone chooses to step into this relationship, God’s eternal love seeks to draw all people into a relationship. It is through this relationship that God becomes our “home,” our place of refuge, peace, belonging.

Reflecting deeper on God’s forever nature, Moses writes, “Before the mountains were born, before you gave birth to the earth and the world, from beginning to end, you are God.” Before the creation story began to unfold, God was. And now God is. And God will always be. God is eternal! As we turn to verses 3-6, though, we’re reminded that we are not. At some point, we will all “return to dust.” Moses compares our lives to grass that springs up in the morning and withers by evening. To be reminded of our fragile, short-term existence draws us to God, the one for whom “a thousand years are as a passing day.” This God seeks to continue to walk in relationship with us once we are turned to dust, bringing each of us into eternity.

Moses knew a God who walked with him daily, leading and guiding his 120 years. We too know a God who desires to walk with us each of our days. May we lean into God each day, seeking to walk faithfully in this life. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, your love shaped and formed the earth and it shaped and formed each one of us. Within creation and within each of us, the spark of the divine is present. Your love continues to create, to refine, to make things new. Guide us each of our days, however many we are blessed with. Lead us to walk closely with you, O Love, during this life and into the next. Amen.


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Transitions

Reading: Deuteronomy 34:1-12

Deuteronomy 34:9 – “Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.”

Moses has led the people of God to the very edge of the Promised Land. He has stood before Pharaoh and brought the plagues that led to release from slavery. He parted the sea, brought water from the rock, and was the conduit for the provision of manna and quail. Moses spoke often with God and taught the people all of what God instructed. Moses was a great leader. He was not without his faults, but “there never has been another prophet in Israel like Moses.” As Moses stands on Pisgah, overlooking the Promised Land, he is 120 years old yet still with clear eyesight and with good physical strength.

God has brought him to this place to show Moses the land – the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The land that Moses has been leading the people towards for 40 years. The people are different physically and spiritually. Besides Moses, Joshua and Caleb are the sole survivors of the exodus from Egypt. God and Moses have shaped the people to be the people of God during 40 years in the wilderness. But the time has come for new leadership. Moses dies in Moab and is buried there.

Joshua will lead the Israelites through the Jordan River and into the Promised Land. Moses has prepared him well for this transition. In verse 9 we read about the culmination of this preparation: “Now Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.” Moses has finished strong so that Joshua can begin strong. Moses has finished well, blessing Joshua and doing all that he could to ensure Joshua’s success as a leader. As we consider and walk through transitions and changes in our lives, how can we lead well and finish strong, especially in matters of faith?

Prayer: Lord God, we can struggle at times of letting go, of moving on, of change. Our humanity – our pride, our ego, our need to be in control – they can get in the way of your next thing. Open our eyes and hearts to your working in and amongst us. Help us to trust your plans and your goodness for our lives. Use us as you will. Amen.


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Seeing God

Reading: Exodus 33:18-23

Exodus 33:18 – “Moses replied, ‘Then show me your glorious presence.'”

On Tuesday this week we read of Moses petitioning God to remain present to him and to Israel. God relented from the plan to send them on to the Promised Land without God’s presence. But Moses wanted some proof. He says to God, “Then show me your glorious presence.” God’s answer is “Yes, but…” God will reveal the fullness of God’s glory, sort of. God knows that the full glory of God is more than Moses or any human being can take in at one time. God graciously comes up with a plan for Moses to see as much of God as is humanly possible.

God places Moses in a crevice of a rock and shields Moses’ eyes as God passes by. As God walks away, the hand is lifted and Moses sees God’s back. Because of God’s tender compassion, God found a way to grant Moses’ request. It would have been easier to just say “no” and offer a reason why. Instead, God found a way to say “yes” to Moses.

There are times when we’d really like to see God. Sometimes our faith is wearing thin and we need reassurance. Some of the time we are really upset or even angry and we want to have it out with God. Other times we feel like we just need to be in God’s actual presence. God is present to us in each of these situations, just as God was with Moses – in Spirit. But once in a while, God is more present, in a tangible way – as we look in the mirror one day, as another person is present to us, as we are awed by a sunset or by ocean waves. God graciously meets us where we are at, giving us just what we need in that moment. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your presence in our lives. Your Spirit is a constant presence with us as you lead and guide, direct and assure, convict and refine, restore and redeem. And thank you for the glimpses, for your tangible presence that we do experience from time to time. Continue to be present to us in all ways, O God. Amen.


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Need ___, go to ___.

Reading: 1st Thessalonians 1:7-10

1st Thessalonians 1:8 – “And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to all people everywhere.”

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Returning to Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians, we read about the results or impact of their faithful works, loving deeds, and enduring hope in Jesus Christ. In a day when there was no mass media, nevermind the Internet or cell phones, this small group of believers was becoming “an example to all the believers in Greece.” A whole region was being influenced. Paul gives evidence of this impact in verses 8 and 9. In verse 8 he writes, “And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to all people everywhere.” Through the Thessalonians’ witness, faith in Jesus Christ is growing all over the place. The word is ringing out!

Imagine for a moment if the people in your community were talking this way about you or about your church! Imagine if this was how your neighbors spoke of you. Nevermind your whole state or nation – just think about your immediate sphere of influence. What if someone at the grocery store or at the soccer field or in an online space were to naturally encourage a person in need to go to you or to your church? Need help with ___, go to ___. Want someone to walk with you through ___, go to ___. What would it feel like for the average person in your local community to naturally talk about you or your church in these ways?

Yes, it would feel great. It should be this way. And if it is not, we must ask: Why isn’t this our reputation?

Prayer: Lord God, oh to be known as people who love, care for, walk alongside, stand for, lift up, serve… This is your desire, Lord, for all who call on you as Savior. So stir up in each of us an active and passionate faith, one that is noticeable, one that stands out, one that makes a positive difference. Amen.


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Give Unto God…

Reading: Matthew 22:15-22

Matthew 22:21 – “Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

Photo credit: Ryan McGuire

In this week’s gospel lesson an odd collection of folks come to Jesus. These religious leaders and political envoys both feel threatened by Jesus. Both groups see Jesus as a threat to their power. They come with a question designed to trap Jesus, lessening his power and/or popularity. The spokesperson(s) butter Jesus up first, speaking of how “honest… truthful… impartial” Jesus is. Then they ask the question: “Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” What a loaded question!

Jesus’ response begins with, “You hypocrites!” He sees the trap. Then he asks for a coin. The snarky side of me envisions a Pharisee pulling a Roman coin from his robe pocket. As if seeing the coin for the first time, Jesus asks whose picture and title are on the coin. In other words, whose coin is it? Then, as only Jesus could do, he says, “Give unto Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” The odd collection of co-conspirators is amazed. They go away.

While the coin belonged to Caesar, the question that we are left with is this: Who do we belong to? Created in the image of God, woven together in the womb by God’s hands, it should be clear to whom we belong. All that we are and all that we have truly belongs to God. But how we prioritize, how we allocate our resources, how we spend our time – they all reveal who or what we actually worship and love. When we give to God and to our neighbors generously and freely, we honor God and we bring God the praise and glory. When we do not live in these ways, might Jesus utter the “h” word in our direction too?

Prayer: Lord God, each day, as we decide who or what we will worship and what we will chase after, whisper words of love into our hearts. Draw us towards your heart and create in us a heart like yours – one that loves unconditionally and forgives always. Amen.


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Exalt the Lord!

Reading: Psalm 99

Psalm 99:5 – “Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!”

The first five verses of Psalm 99 remind us of God’s majesty, power, and greatness. These verses remind us of God’s holiness and of God’s love of justice and all that is right and good. At the end of this section, we too hear the invitation: “Exalt the Lord our God! Bow low before his feet, for he is holy!” God is definitely worthy of our praise and worship. We bow before the Lord our God in humble awe when we pause to recognize the one who causes the whole earth to quake.

And just when it begins to feel like God is way up there somewhere and we are way down there somewhere, the psalmist reminds us that God is present with us. Moses, Aaron, and Samuel had intimate, personal relationships with God. They cried out. God heard and answered. There is hope for us! Long ago, God spoke through the clouds on mountain tops and through the prophets. God continues to speak through the Holy Spirit within each of us. The prophetic voice has not been lost. It has been multiplied many, many times over. It is within us all.

Verse 8 offers a bit of a reality check. Moses, Aaron, Samuel… also sinned and fell short of the glory of God. God forgave and restored them. We too walk this path, in spite of the Holy Spirit’s best efforts. God continues to forgive and restore. Yes, may we worship and exalt the Lord our God! God is holy. And God is with us. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, you are amazing, awesome, wonderful! You deserve all of the glory and praise. All of it! And yet you are right here with us. Your Spirit dwells in us always. Please continue to walk with us, to lift us back up when we fall down. Hold us daily in your love. Amen.


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Filled with Faith, Love, and Hope

Reading: 1st Thessalonians 1:1-6

1st Thessalonians 1:3 – “As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul’s letter to the Thessalonian church opens with greetings from Paul, Silas, and Timothy. These three traveled together for much of Paul’s second missionary journey. Paul and Silas had recently been to Thessalonica, where they founded this new church and started to encourage them in word and deed. But some Jews had stirred up trouble, forcing Paul and Silas to flee in the night. Wanting to check in on these new believers, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica. He found them faithful and unified, even in the face of suffering and persecution.

After the greeting and expression of thanksgiving and prayers for the church in Thessalonica, Paul adds, “As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Thessalonians are living out their faith in active ways, holding onto hope, trusting in Jesus Christ. Reading on we discern how and why these new Christians can be shining lights of faith. Yes, they heard the good news and, yes, they had Paul and Silas’ example. But even more importantly, they received the power of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Spirit in their hearts brought both assurance and joy – even in the sufferings.

The indwelling presence and constant power of the Holy Spirit is what fills the Thessalonians with the faith to do good works, with the love to practice good deeds, and with the hope to endure sufferings and trials. It is the Spirit that fills each believer with faith, love, and hope. In their everyday lives and in the times of great need, the Spirit is right there with them. We who believe have this same Spirit in us. May faith, love,and hope overflow from our lives as well!

Prayer: Lord God , thank you for the work of Paul and others that first shared the good news and opened hearts to receive Jesus Christ and his Holy Spirit. Thank you for the work of those that did the same in our lives. In turn, O Lord, may Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit lead and guide us in faith, love, and hope, using each of us to build the kingdom of God in our time and place. Amen.


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“I know you by name.”

Reading: Exodus 33:12-18

Exodus 33:17 – “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”

As chapter 33 begins, God tells Moses and the people to “get going,” to head to the land promised to their ancestors. Today’s portion of this week’s Exodus reading is Moses’ response to this directive along with God’s response to Moses. Moses and the people are not comfortable pressing on without God going with them. So Moses asks God to allow him to know God even more, to “understand you more fully… to enjoy your favor.” God tells Moses that, yes, God will go with him. That is not enough for Moses.

Pressing God, Moses speaks for the people, asking for God’s presence to be with the people too. This presence is what sets them apart from all other people. God responds, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.” God will go with the people too. As assurance, Moses asks to see God’s “glorious presence.” We will unpack this request and God’s response at the end of the week.

What does this exchange between God and Moses reveal to us? Moses is modeling what Paul later wrote about in Philippians 4. He is taking his worry and anxiety to God. Moses honestly talks with God, revealing his faith and trust in their relationship. In turn, God is patient and assures Moses that God will continue to be with him and with the people. God is faithful. And through this presence, God will give Moses rest. God is a provider. As we go to God again and again, with our worries and with our thanksgiving, our relationship with God will grow and deepen. God will look upon us and say, “I know you by name.” May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide us to come to you with all that is on our hearts and minds – the praise and thanksgiving, the worries and the fears – all of it. Draw near to us in these moments, assuring us of your presence and love. Deepen our connection to you. Amen.


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Noticing and Giving Thanks

Reading: Luke 17:11-19

Luke 17:15 – “One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!'”

As we begin this week, the Upper Room Disciplines devotional steps outside the lectionary readings today. The addition of today’s Luke 17 passage is in recognition of Thanksgiving Day in Canada. I am grateful because this passage also connects into Philippians 4’s call to always rejoice in the Lord, living as people of thanksgiving and praise.

Today’s story about the healing of the ten lepers is a familiar story. Traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem for the last time, Jesus enters Samaria. Almost all Jews avoided this area. Not Jesus. Along the border, Jesus encounters ten men with leprosy. Their contagious diseases forced them to live outside of society. It also forced them into mixed groups. Only one of the ten is identified as a Samaritan. The other nine, because of the border location, must’ve been Jews.

The ten lepers cry out to Jesus, asking for mercy. He instructs them to go to the priests. As they go, they are healed. Nine continue on to the priests so that they can be declared “clean,” so that they can re-enter society. In verse 15 we read, “One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, ‘Praise God!'” One of them, the one outside of Judaism, returns to thank Jesus. Jesus praises the man’s faith, questioning where the other nine are. We likely do too.

We do so because we are more like the nine than the one. We do not always give thanks for the things that God and others do for us. Maybe we usually intend to but get caught up in the busyness of life – nevermind in the joy of being reunited with family and friends that you’ve been isolated from forever. Reminder COVID? And remember the joy of finally being able to gather in community again? We can relate to the nine. And yet we are called by Jesus’ story to be like the one. We are invited to live with an attitude of gratitude, noticing and taking the time to give thanksgiving and praise for God’s presence and work in our lives. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, draw us into a time of reflection right now. Bring to our minds the things that we should’ve been thankful and grateful for but somehow missed or didn’t make the time to offer our thanks. Draw out our praise and thanksgiving right now, in this moment…

Amen.


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Practice, Practice, Practice

Reading: Philippians 4:8-9

Philippians 4:8 – “Focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true… holy… just… pure… lovely… and worthy of praise.”

Concluding our Philippians 4 reading for this week, we end with Paul’s guidance on how to “stand firm in the Lord.” It begins with fixing our eyes and our heart on the things that are excellent and admirable, that are life-giving and soul-lifting. These things are the core characteristics of a lived life of faith. In verse 8 Paul calls us to this task: “Focus your thoughts on these things: all that is true… holy… just… pure… lovely… and worthy of praise.” Paul invites us to think about these things always. Doing so, our thoughts will guide our words and our actions.

The core beliefs of our faith are what is true. Salvation, grace, love, mercy, humble service, generosity, one God – core beliefs. All that is holy is the will and way of God. Central and foundational are the great commands: love God and love neighbor. To be just is to live in right relationship with both God and neighbor and to redeem and restore these relationships when they are broken or damaged. To be selfless is to be pure. To not think of our wants but of other’s needs starts with a pure heart. The lovely in our life and in the world are those things touched by God. It is a sunrise and a kind word, a meal shared and a gentle embrace. These and other blessings are worthy of our praise and thanksgiving.

To focus our thoughts on what is true, holy, just, pure, lovely, and worthy of praise and to live these out daily is a tall order. Paul’s guidance: practice. Daily remember what we’ve “learned, received, heard, and saw” from Paul and from Jesus. And then practice, practice, practice these things. And as we practice, practice, practice, the peace of God will be with us. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, walk closely with us today and every day. Open our ears and hearts to the whispers and nudges of your Holy Spirit. Echo the words and example of Jesus in our hearts and minds. Send us out, thusly equipped and prepared, to be always true, holy, just, pure, and lovely, bringing you all the praise and the glory and honor. Amen.