pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!


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To Whom Are We Called?

Reading: Ruth 1: 15-18

Verse 16: “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”.

Our daughter-in-law has decided to take Naomi’s advice and to return to her own family. But in spite of repeated encouragement to do the same, Ruth boldly says, “Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God”. There are words with a lot of power. These are words of deep commitment. These words are a gift of love. Ruth knows Naomi’s vulnerability as a widow. It is a vulnerability that she knows herself, although she is in a better place in life. Ruth is able to work. She certainly could remarry. But she chooses to put these things aside to love and care for Naomi. It is a sacrifice, a deep commitment to love the other and to love God.

Throughout time, people of faith have exhibited and lived out this same DNA. Twelve men left all and followed Jesus. Others joined their cause, throwing their life and their lot in with the Son of God. As time moved on, man after man, woman after woman, has been willing to follow in Ruth’s footsteps, in the disciples’ footsteps. Where you go Jesus, I will go. Your people will be my people. Each of us – some in small ways, some in big ways – has this same DNA coursing through our veins. Just as something stirred inside of Ruth, leading her to declare her love for Naomi, the Spirit stirs in us too, calling us to trust in Jesus, to throw our lot in with Him, to step out into the unknown, and to see experience the power of God at work in our lives.

Ruth decided that Naomi and her people would be hers too. She committed to Naomi’s God as well. As Christians, our call is to Jesus and to His people. The question for many of us then remains this: to whom are we called? Who are our people? Who is the Lord Jesus Christ calling me to? Who is He calling you to?

Lord, I can hear your call. I can sense your tug. Confirm in me the direction to step, the path to walk. Help me to discern what you want of me. Thank you for the signs. Keep them coming. Strengthen and encourage me to follow on, each step that you lead. Through the power and presence of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, may I be a faithful follower each day. Amen.


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Trust in God

Reading: Ruth 1: 1-18

Verse 11: “Return home my daughters. Why would you come with me”?

Naomi had arrived in Moab with a husband and two sons. In time, the two sons married two Moabite women, Orpah and Ruth. They were married ten years. During this time in Moab, Naomi became a widow and had to rely on her sons and daughter-in-laws for care and provision. This would have developed a strong relationship with Orpah and Ruth. After ten years, both sons die, leaving one older widow and two younger widows. Soon thereafter the famine ends and Naomi decides to return home to Judah to live amongst her own people. Initially Orpah and Ruth prepare to leave Moab, their homeland, to go with Naomi.

Naomi realizes this and tells them to stay in Moab. Naomi says, “Return home my daughters. Why would you come with me”? She encourages them to remarry, to find a new husband in their native lands. In the event that they do not remarry or if it takes time, at least Orpah and Ruth can return to their parents’ homes for food, shelter, … Orpah sees the logic in this this and kisses Naomi goodbye. I think I would have been tempted to stay if I was in this situation. The familiar is comfortable, it is more secure. Being married and having a family was of utmost importance. Orpah made a sensible and good choice.

When have I faced a similar decision? When have I had to choose between staying with the known versus stepping out in faith? When have you faced such a decision? For some it is going off to college, for some it is getting married, for some it is transferring to a new job in a new place. For some it is ending a relationship or saying goodbye to a loved one. Each involves risk or doubt or grief or all of these and more. Each requires a trust in God. For me, it was leaving a long teaching career and entering full-time ministry. God has been with me as I have gone to foreign lands and experience new challenges. God has gone with me and I trust that He will continue to do so. May it be so for you as well.

Lord God, thank you for always being present, always bringing me courage and trust. May I ever cling to you as life continues to happen. Amen.


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Calling

Reading: Mark 10: 46-52

Verse 50: “Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus”.

Jesus arrives to where Bartimaeus is at in today’s passage. The hope that Jesus would pass by is becoming reality. Bartimaeus shouts over and over, “Son of David, have mercy on me” in spite of the crowd trying to quiet him. This will be Bartimaeus’ only shot – the blind man could never get up and go searching for Jesus. This is his one and only chance. Bartimaeus declares who he thinks Jesus is in the name he uses, calling Jesus the ‘Son of David’ acknowledges Jesus’ messianic lineage.

As Jesus and the crowd move along, passing Bartimaeus, Jesus hears Bartimaeus’ calls. Jesus stops and asks the people fo send Bartimaeus His way. Hear the hope realized in Bartimaeus’ response to the call: “Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus”. Leaving all he owns on the ground, Bartimaeus rushes to Jesus and in no time he can see. Jesus tells Bartimaeus that his faith has healed him. Leaving all behind, Bartimaeus then follows Jesus.

All Bartimaeus had to leave behind was his cloak. It is not much – most would probably refuse the tattered thing if it were offered to them. I’d like to think that if all I had was an old coat, I could leave that behind to follow Jesus. I have much more than an old coat to leave behind. How about you? It is paradoxical, but perhaps because I have so much, it is harder to give up a little to follow Jesus.

The voice of God continues to call out through the Word and through the Holy Spirit. Over and over, Jesus calls out. God calls for obedience and love. When our faith cries out, or when it gently nudges us, may we respond as Bartimaeus did – throwing all aside, rushing forward to Jesus.

God, help me to be willing to follow. Help me to lay aside myself and my ‘things’ to follow you. May my faith lead me on, drawing closer and closer to you. Amen.


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A Faith Still There

Reading: Mark 10: 46-52

Verse 46: “As Jesus and His disciples… were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging”.

As Jesus is beginning His last journey to Jerusalem, He encounters a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. In Jesus’ day, the term ‘blind beggar’ would maybe seem redundant. Almost all who were blind or lame or deaf or otherwise disabled had to beg to survive. There were no social services in Jewish society, no places that cared for those with a disability. Yes, the Jews had a place in their hearts for the orphan and the widow, but not for people like Bartimaeus.

Bartimaeus’ life would be lonely and hard. His blindness would carry the stigma of sin and, with that, he would be shunned and ignored. Life would be lived on the fringes of society, survival dependant on what folks who passed by on the street would give to this man. The regular passersby would quickly grow accustomed to the man always there begging. These people would quickly become like the many in cities today who walk right past the homeless as if they were not even there. After a while the emotional weight of this would be greater that the affects of the physical disability itself.

When people are ignored, intentionally passed by, it affects how they feel inside. Questions of worth begin to mount. Anger against those who just pass by builds. It would be easy to question God and to become bitter towards God. It would’ve been understandable for Bartimaeus to disconnect from God. But he does not. His faith is still there. And Jesus is on the way.

Lord, help me to see those on the fringes. Continue to create in me a heart that sees and responds. Build up the Holy Spirit in me so that the voice is loud and the nudge is strong. Give me a soul that cares as you care, that loves as you love. Amen.


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On Our Side

Reading: Hebrews 7: 23-28

Verses 24 and 25: “Because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood… He always lives to intercede for us”.

In the Jewish tradition and in some denominations today, the priest intercedes on behalf of the sinner. In the Jewish tradition, the priest would offer a sacrifice for the sin, bringing forgiveness and restoration to that person. Today, some denominations require confession of the sin to a priest who intercedes along with the prayers of repentance offered by the sinner. Together, these lead to a heart that is made right once again with God. All Christian denominations, each in their own way, understands that a “price” must be paid for forgiveness. Repentance and the ensuing forgiveness requires that we sacrifice or set aside something inside of ourselves. We must sacrifice part of our human nature to make more room for the divine nature to dwell in us.

In our passage today, we are reminded of how Jesus Christ was and is a sacrifice. In the opening verses we read, “Because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood… He always lives to intercede for us”. Ever since the day He died, Jesus has been our great high priest, constantly interceding or praying for us. Jesus is on our side, offering mercy and grace for our human condition. Jesus daily reminds God that He was and is the sacrifice for our sin. “He sacrificed once for all when He offered himself”.

Whether our faith leads us to believe that we need a human intermediary or if we believe that we can go straight to the divine source ourselves, the bottom line is the same. Jesus Christ has paid the price for our sins and ever stands between God and us, acting as our great high priest. His Spirit leads us to repentance and He washes us clean of our sins. He who has been made “perfect forever” is on our side. Just as He is exalted above, may we exalt Him here on earth.

Thank you so much Jesus, for paying my price, for offering yourself for my sins. If I was the only sinner, you still would have given yourself. But I am not the only one. So I join the many today as I offer myself and my life to your service. All praise to the One most high! Amen.


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All the Time

Reading: Psalm 34:8

Verse 8: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him”.

The pastor or leader calls out, “God is good”! The congregation or group responds with, “All the time”! The one then calls out, “And all the time…” followed by the people’s response: “God is good”! This pattern is usually repeated two or more times, building each time. It is a great reminder of what our passage today is all about.

Our experiences in life teach us this truth if we are walking in faith. Even though the hurt is great in times of loss, when we turn to God we find strength and comfort and peace. God is good to us in our suffering. As we experience other trials, whether big or small, and when we look to God, when we pray to God, when we trust in God, then we again experience that God is good. If we are faithful and we turn to God in our times of need, we know the truth of this verse: “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him”.

In communion we literally experience this verse. As the body of Christ, whether two or three are gathered or if it is the whole congregation, when we taste the bread and the juice or wine, we are physically reminded of how good the Lord was and is. When we “do so in remembrance of Jesus” we are blessed spiritually by His presence too as we confess and are made new.

We can also experience this in small but powerful ways. Earlier this week I volunteered in the concession stand at some local basketball games. Towards the end of the night, a young man that I had helped with his math the week before came up to the window with his dad. When he recognized me, he gave me the biggest smile and said hello. This small thing made my day and again reminded me of how good God really is. All the time, God is good!

O God, you are indeed so good. Thank you, Lord! In you I take my refuge time after time. You never fail me. You bless me with your presence and you walk with me. In the bright, sunny, good days sometimes I see you. Help me to see you always. Open my eyes to see you in the days of joy and plenty. You are good, O Lord. Thank you so much. Amen.


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Deliverer and Redeemer

Reading: Psalm 34: 1-8 & 19-22

Verse 19: “A righteous man may have troubles, but the Lord delivers him from all of them”.

Today’s Psalm ties in well with the readings from Job that came to us the last two days. Verse one today’s begins with, “I will extol the Lord at all times”. The psalmist wants to continually praise the Lord and goes on to invite the afflicted to join him in this pursuit. Even on our bad days, the psalmist invites us to praise God.

Verse 4 continues with the ‘why’ we are to ever praise God: “I sought the Lord and He answered me”. God answers the faithful. Initially, we may not be aware of the answer, but we are always answered with God’s presence. This was the story with Job. Through both the psalmist’s testimony and through Job’s experience, we can trust that God will be with us too. Yes, trouble will find us at times, but we are encouraged to continue to praise the Lord.

When we continually praise the Lord we are ever reminded of God’s presence in our lives – in both the times of joy and in the times of sorrow. Both the good and the bad shape who we are, but the difficult times also remind us of our need for and dependence on God, helping us to be humble and to be aware of our own weakness. Our praise can be both for God’s power and might and also for the strength that He brings us in our weakness.

Verse 19 reminds us, “A righteous man may have troubles, but the Lord delivers him from all of them”. How true it is that we will all have our share of trials in this life! But even truer is God’s promise of presence and deliverance. The Psalm concludes with one more assurance: “The Lord redeems His servants”. Praise be to the Lord our God, our deliverer and our redeemer!

Lord of all time and place, thank you for being with me all the time, no matter my circumstances. You are with me in the good, in the bad, and everywhere in between. May I ever sing your praises with my words, my actions, and my thoughts, always bringing you the glory. Amen.


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Always Near

Reading: Job 42: 10-17

Verse 12: “The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first”.

Job’s trial has transformed him. He looks at life much differently than before. Job values life itself, all the small things, and everything in between. As his suffering began, Job acknowledged that the Lord gives and the Lord takes away. It was matter of fact, simply how things were. But now Job has gratitude for all that the Lord does in his life. He is now personally connected to God.

We see the change in Job first as he prays for his friends. We recall that the three friends were not supportive or encouraging during the trial. Yet Job prays for them. For what? Probably to experience what he has experienced. The friends know God’s laws and rules, but they do not know God. Their interactions with Job show a lack of God’s love, compassion, and mercy. The second way we see Job transformed is in his interactions with his daughters.

Job gives each daughter a name that reflects God’s beauty in the world. Their names recall God’s grace and the blessings that He pours out on mankind. Job reflects this by also giving his daughters a share of the inheritance. In doing so, Job is making them equal to his sons. He is also giving them power and independence. Job’s daughters do not have to rely on others.

Job’s story is familiar to us. We have experienced pain and suffering in our lives. We have emerged closer to God. Yes, at times we too can doubt God and/or be angry at God. Often, like Job, we realize that we cannot nor ever will understand some of the ways of God. And like Job, we also experience God’s abiding presence, especially in the trials. Always, God is near. Thanks be to God.

God, you are the Creator of all things. Your power and might are far beyond my understanding. Your ways are far above my ways. Yet you are ever present, your love and care always surrounding me. You are ever present, both in the joys and in the sorrows. Thank you God for always being there. Amen.


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18″ Journey

Reading: Job 42: 1-6

Verse 5: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you”.

In our passage today, for Job, God has made that 18″ journey. Previous to his great trials, Job was a righteous man. He was obedient in following the Law. He worshipped God on the Sabbath, he gave to his local synagogue, he spoke to God daily. In life, Job was an honest man, a hard worker, a person who could be counted on. Job lived a blessed life – a wife, lots of children, large herds and flocks, many servants, good friends. Job was blessed and saw God as the source of his blessings.

Then one horrible day the storm hit and Job’s world was rocked. It was not a doctor saying they had found cancer. It was not a spouse saying they were done with the marriage. It was not a boss handing him a pink slip. These are horrible things that we and those we love experience. For Job, it was losing all of his kids, flocks, herds, and servants. And then being covered in painful sores.

Job succeeded in two things during his trial: he knew that God was still with him and he knew that God was ultimately in control. Yes, Job questioned why all this was happening to him – much like we do in our trials. But Job held onto God. In the wrestling with and questioning of God, Job was transformed. Verse 5 speaks of this: “My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you”. Job knew who God was and he followed all His rules – because that is what you do. He knew who God was and he followed out of obedience. But then Job experienced God up close and personal. He got to know God because of and through the trial. God made that 18″ journey from head to heart. Job now had a personal relationship with God.

If God exists in your head, may the Lord bless you with a season of wrestling and questioning, drawing you into relationship. If God dwells in your heart, join me in rejoicing as we shout “thanks be to God”!

Lord, I thank you for dwelling in my heart. I thank you for such a great love that loves even me. I pray for my fellow brothers and sisters who have begun their journey but gave yet to surrender their heart. Move in them, Lord, to become the king of the throne of their heart as well. May it be so. Amen.


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Service = Greatness

Reading: Mark 10: 41-45

Verse 43: “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all”.

The ten are upset with James and John for their request. James and John want places of power and authority. What led them to make this request is unclear, but the ten assume the request is not coming from a good place. Because all twelve need a worldview adjustment, Jesus gathers them around and reorients their viewpoint.

Jesus begins by reminding them how the worldly leaders lord their power over their subjects. Those in places of worldly authority exercise it at will. The disciples probably first thought of the Romans who occupied their nation and then thought of the religious leaders who so often flaunted their power – both over their fellow Jews but especially over the Gentiles. Jesus often clashed with the religious leaders “do-as-I-say…” attitude that was far from how God viewed leadership. The disciples would have no shortage of examples of those who abuse their power and authority.

Jesus begins to counter this worldly understanding of power by saying, “Not so with you”. This worldview is is not the model for the disciples or for any follower of Jesus. Jesus offers a better way – a way that aligns with God’s worldview. In verse 43 He lays it out, saying, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all”. This viewpoint is totally upside-down from the world’s viewpoint. To further drive His point home, Jesus reminds them of the example that He is setting. God incarnate, the most powerful One in all of creation, took on flesh not to rule over others but to serve others. And not only that, but He also came to give His life up as a “ransom for many”. Jesus came to serve others and demonstrates this in His willingness to die so that others can find salvation and eternal life. Talk about being a slave to all!

This view of service and sacrifice as the goal of discipleship must have reoriented James and John’s way of thinking. It must have realigned the thinking of the ten. May it realign our way of understanding how we are to live out our faith in the world as well. This day and each day, may we seek ways to serve others, building God’s upside-down kingdom, bringing God all the glory.

Lord of all, help me to be humble, to willingly look first to the needs of others. Make me willing to seize the opportunities to be of service to all I meet. May my life be about giving and lifting others and their needs above my own. Amen.