pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Telling and Retelling

Reading: Psalm 78:1-4

Psalm 78:4b – “We’ll tell the next generation all about the praises due the Lord and his strength – the wondrous works God has done.”

Photo credit: Priscilla du Preez

Psalm 78 begins with words intended to draw readers into the Psalm and its teachings. It begins with “Listen, my people… tilt your ears…” This is a call to active and engaged listening. It says to us and to other readers, “Pay attention, I have a good story to tell.” The drawing in continues: “I’ll declare riddles from long ago.” The story itself is interesting, maybe even intriguing. It’ll draw readers in even deeper as it progresses. I wonder, do we tell others about our God with such energy and passion? Is there excitement generated in the ways that we share our stories of faith with others?

In verse 4 the psalmist leans into the importance of telling the next generations. We too are called to pass on the stories of faith to our children and to the children in our communities of faith. In the last part of this verse the author declares, “We’ll tell the next generation all about the praises due the Lord and his strength – the wondrous works God has done.” In the telling and retelling of God’s wondrous works we help those new to the faith to understand the power and might of God. Learning all about the things that God has done for Israel begins to build trust and faith in new believer’s hearts.

The telling and retelling also impacts the hearer in another important way. Hearing the stories of what God has done opens their eyes to see what God does in their lives. This step makes God personal and intimate – another wonderful side of God. This realization further moves trust and faith from head to heart. And let’s not forget the teller. We too are impacted. As we tell and retell God’s story and our story, our faith grows and deepens too. Our eyes and hearts become more aware of and sensitive to the God moments in our lives. And our story widens and deepens. May it be so for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, open our eyes – both to see your presence in our lives and to see the opportunities that we have to share these experiences. Open our hearts too, O God. Opened wide we can better take in your love and strength, and we can then pour these things out, building up others’ faith and trust in you. Thank you. Amen.


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Living for Jesus

Reading: Romans 14:7-12

Romans 14:12 – “Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”

Pressing on in Romans 14, Paul declares that we do not live or die for ourselves. While this becomes truer and truer the longer we walk with Christ, there was a time in my life and probably in your life when this was not the reality. Even though I grew up in the church, during my late teen and college years I lived for self. My time, energies, and priorities were focused on pleasure, desires, and other things of this world. Over time, though, God drew me back into relationship and reoriented my focus. Yes, there are still days when that old self rises up and I become less than God created me to be. But now I am quicker to hear the Spirit that has always been there, drawing me back to God.

Living (or dying) for Christ is the focus of a life lived in faith. All that we think, say, and do becomes focused on pleasing God and bringing God the glory. As Paul continues to work to combat the judging going on in the church in Rome, he reminds them and us that “Each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” While this is very true, as we walk with Christ, we find that our “motivation” is not fear of condemnation, but is the joy and peace, the hope and contentment found in living for and serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. With these as the outcomes of living for Jesus, the temptations of this world fade. So when judgment or desire or another sin rises up, the Spirit that lives within us has greater voice and more power. Thanks be to God for the power and presence within us!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your grace that brings us back into your presence when we fall short. Thank you for your love that pursues us when we are lost in our sin. And thank you, Lord, for your steadfastness. You are always there for us. Amen.


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Choose Grace and Generosity

Readings: Psalm 119:110 and Genesis 25:27-34

Genesis 25:30 – “I’m starving! Let me devour some of this red stuff.”

Photo credit: Kate Remmer

Continuing in Genesis 25 today, Jacob and Esau have grown up. They have become their own people. Esau loves the outdoors. Jacob loves the indoors. Esau is more loved by their father. Jacob is more loved by their mother. One day the outdoorsman comes in absolutely famished. The indoorsman is boiling some lentil stew and baking some bread. Esau says to his brother Jacob, I’m starving! Let me devour some of this red stuff.” One is in need. The other has the power to meet that need. This sets up a potential power dynamic.

There are times when many of us find ourselves in a place where we have power over others. It might be the norm in some of our work environments. Or it might be because of a momentary situation, like it was for Jacob and Esau. In both of these situations, we have a decision to make: How will we use our power? Will we run roughshod over others, living by a “my way or the highway” attitude? Will we exploit or otherwise take advantage of the one in need that crosses our path?

In Genesis 25, Jacob uses his brother’s need to his own advantage. Esau’s starvation leads to a willingness to give up something in the future. When we cross paths with people in great need, will we prey on their desperation or will we simply meet a need, no strings attached? Will we step into the trap laid by the evil within us or will we follow our faith as guided by the Spirit? For most folks in places of power, there is more than enough. May we choose grace and generosity each time.

Prayer: Lord God, grace, love, forgiveness, other blessings – you give freely. We too have much to give – these things plus our resources, our time, our energy, our talents… Work in our hearts, O God, guiding us to give as you give, freely and unconditionally. Amen.


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Alive for God

Reading: Romans 6:6-11

Romans 6:11 – “You should also consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Jesus Christ.”

Coming back to Romans 6 today, we go a bit deeper into Paul’s thoughts on our new life in Christ. I love Paul’s word choice for describing the change from old to new self. He writes of our old self being “crucified.” This conveys the magnitude of dying to sin and the power that it can have in our lives. This word speaks of commitment. It also helps us understand the finality of leaving behind “the corpse that has been controlled by sin.” Crucified with Christ, our new self is freed from sin’s power.

Because we are set free from the power of sin, we can fully live a new life in Christ. In the same way that death has no power over Christ, sin holds no eternal power in our lives. Through his sacrifice, the price was paid so that we can be forgiven and restored back into right relationship with God. The power of sin to trap us in the guilt, shame, and regret was broken forever. Because Christ “died to sin once and for all,” forgiveness is always available to us.

Given the ability to be made right with God again and again, we are freed to live for God just as Christ lived for God. In verse 11 we read this great reminder: “You should also consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Jesus Christ.” Since sin has no power in our lives, all of our focus, energy, and love can go to living for Christ – instead of fighting the power of sin. Alive for Christ, we walk in the newness of life, bringing all of the glory to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for making a way for us to walk daily with you. Without the sacrifice of your son, we’d be forever lost in our sin. But because of your great love, we can come back into right relationship with you again and again. Each time, O Lord, refine us more and more each time, recreating us each time just a little closer to the image of your son, Jesus. Amen.


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Rested and Ready

Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

Verse 6: “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’”

Photo credit: Kyle Johnson

Today’s parable comes in a section that Matthew has put together addressing the kingdom of heaven. In today’s teaching Jesus talks about the time of his return and of what is required of us. This day the parable rests upon the connected ideas of rest and preparation. The interconnected nature of preparation and rest brings me back to a study and retreat that a men’s group did on “margin.” If we are to be able to say “yes” when God calls, then we need to build space into our lives so that we have the capacity to respond. We learned that in order to have time to do these unplanned but important things, we have to guard against busyness and against filling every single moment of every day with items that we place on our calendars.

In our parable today ten bridesmaids (or virgins, depending on your translation) await the coming of the bridegroom. Five come prepared and five do not. The bridegroom is delayed and the night grows long. Rest becomes necessary. At midnight a cry is heard: “Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!” Those who were prepared spring into action, trimming their lamps, readying themselves to escort the bridegroom to the wedding feast. They enter the great feast with the bridegroom. The five who were unprepared (but rested) miss out. When they come late to the party the bridegroom refuses them entry, saying, “I don’t know you.” They did not journey with him.

In Jesus’ teaching both rest and preparation are essential. Rest (or margin) provides us the energy (and space) to be ready and able to respond to the call when the kingdom of God draws near. Preparation is essential because it is what fuels and drives our ability to respond as Christ in the world. Whenever the call comes, may we be ready and prepared – both physically and spiritually.

Prayer: Lord God, prepare me, day by day, to have a heart that senses your call and to have a heart willing and able to respond to that need, to that ministry opportunity, to that person in distress. And grant me moments of holy rest so that I have all I need, built up in reserve, so that I can respond faithfully and with all the necessary effort and energy. Amen.


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Time and Space to Mourn

Reading: Matthew 14:22-23

Verse 23: “He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.”

The first two verses of this week’s gospel lesson are a microcosm, a snapshot. Most often they are verses that we read and understand, but do not sit with. These two verses give a wonderful insight into Jesus’ humanity – and into ours.

After healing all day and then feeding the 5,000 Jesus sends the disciples off in the boat and then he dismisses the crowd. He is making time for what he needed to do before the huge crowd arrived. Jesus makes time to mourn the loss of his cousin and fellow prophet. In verse 23 we read, “He went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.” Going up the mountain is God-speak for finding time alone with God. For Jesus, going up the mountain is time to connect with God, just as it was for Moses and Elijah.

Caring for immediate needs can defer grieving. It happens to many of us when we lose a loved one. The immediate and necessary tasks of writing an obituary, of planning and attending a funeral… they consume our attention and energy, much as the healing and feeding of the crowd did for Jesus. This was the divine Jesus in action. Then the human Jesus needed care. He needed time and space to mourn and to be with God in that grieving. Jesus honored his grief. In our times of loss may we follow this example too.

Prayer: Lord God, it can be tempting to defer or ignore our grief. The initial days of autopilot, of getting necessary things done, they can trick us. When that flurry passes, remind us of the intentional choice that Jesus made. Draw us into your peace and consolation, for there we begin to find real healing. Amen.


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Love Forever

Reading: Psalm 118: 1-2 and 19-29

Verse 1: “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever”.

Photo credit: Christopher Beloch

Psalm 118 is a song of remembrance, victory, celebration. The historical context is the story of exodus, of God freeing Israel from years of slavery in Egypt. The song would be sung during the three yearly festivals as a way to thank God for his presence with the people. As the people marched into Jerusalem, recalling God’s saving acts, there is much joy and expectation as they enter the gates of the city. Years and years of doing this is what lends such energy to the day we know as Palm Sunday, the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry.

Even though the exodus story is the foundation, the theme of being freed from slavery is the main theme of this Psalm. There is much messianic language in the second part of the Psalm: salvation, stone, rejection, light. We will delve deeper into this aspect later in the week. Today we celebrate what the Lord has done for Israel, for you, and for me.

In the opening verse we read, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever”. You or I may not have walked out of slavery in Egypt, but we have experience after experience with the Lord’s freeing and saving acts. Time and time again we have been freed from the lures and temptations of this world. Over and over we have been made new again, leaving behind the chains and guilt and shame of our sins, being cleansed by his mercy and grace. Again and again God has reconciled and restored our relationships – sometimes with God, sometimes with one another. We too can joyously approach the Lord our God, thanking God for his goodness and for his love that endures forever. May we, like the Israelites, say, “His love endures forever”!

Prayer: Lord God, over and over… again and again… time after time… Yes, you are so good to me. Yes, your love is amazing. With wonder and awe I praise you and offer my humble thanksgiving. Amen!


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Arise, Beloved

Reading: Song of Songs 2: 8-13

Verse 10: “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me”.

The Song of Songs is about love. On the literal level it is the story of young love, of courtship, of desire. In today’s six verses we see the beloved, the young woman, being sought by her lover. Twice in today’s passage he calls out, saying, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me”. The earth itself is coming to life as spring begins. The flowers and vines are blossoming, the doves coo, the figs begin to form. Life is bursting all around. The two lovers can sense the energy in creation and want to be a part of that.

In the metaphorical sense, the Song of Songs is the story of how God seeks to be in relationship with us. This relationship is also built upon love. God’s love is not the “I love my brother” kind of love from childhood. It is not the pinky swear “I’ll do anything for my BFF” kind of adolescent love. It is not even the wild and passionate love of two twenty somethings who have fallen madly in love. Even this love pales in comparison to the love that God desires to lavish upon us. God’s love is unconditional, unfailing, unending. The best of human love is conditional, fickle, wavering.

God pursues us like the young man pursues his love. God leaps the mountains, walks across the seas, peers through any opening that he can find, calling out to each of us, his beloved. Today, be aware of how God is calling out to you, seeking to deepen your relationship with him. Will you arise and go with God?

Prayer: Loving and compassionate God, make me aware of each way that you reach out to me today. Create in me a sensitive heart, a willing heart. Help me to take in and to pour out your love this day. Amen.


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Trust and Pray – Part 2

Reading: Acts 1: 6-14

Verse 14: “They all joined together constantly in prayer”.

After Jesus makes his ascension into heaven, the angels lift the spirits of the followers standing there by telling them that Jesus will return. Greatly encouraged they return to Jerusalem and gather together – all eleven disciples, the women who were part of the regular group of followers, and Jesus’ mother and brothers. The angels’ encouragement became the fuel of their prayers. In verse fourteen we read, “They all joined together constantly in prayer”.

I imagine their prayers were a mix of thanksgiving and anticipation. Thanks for the news that Jesus would return and anticipation asking for it to come soon. There must have been a ton of positive energy and emotion poured into their prayers. Just ten days later their prayers will be answered. Jesus will return. It will be in the form of the Holy Spirit. Just as he had promised, it would be better that he left so that the gift could be sent. Instead of the physical Jesus being present with a group here and then there, the Spirit of Jesus would be present with all believers everywhere at the same time. As this group prayed, all must have thought that Jesus coming back as he was before would be the best thing ever. But it wasn’t. God’s plan was better. It always is.

As we turn to God in our prayers, may we make our humble and honest petitions known to God. But may we also trust that God will work in the way that is best. God will do with our lives what he did for the early church. Again, if we will but trust and pray.

Prayer: God of all, thank you that you are so much more than we can imagine. In the Holy Spirit you sent an amazing gift. In our lives you shower us with blessings. Thank you so much. Amen.


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God’s Hands

Reading: Psalm 121

Verse 2: “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth”.

Psalm 121 is one of my favorites. It is a Psalm that reminds me both of God’s grandeur and of God’s intimate care for each of us. I enjoy being out in nature. One of my favorite places to be out in nature is a church camp in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Lookout Point is my go-to place there in camp. From the point I can look out over the hills and pine forests to see the rolling plains and even the Badlands on a clear day. About 100 feet below the point a creek churns with life and energy. Sitting there in the beauty of God’s creation, I feel close to God.

Verse two is a great reminder for me: “My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth”. It is a verse that brings assurance and comfort as I am reminded of how close God is to each of us. God is our helper. One could use other terms: provider, giver, father. There is a deep love that God has for you and for me, his children. That feeling of being loved continues in verses three and four. Here the psalmist reminds us that “God will not let your foot slip” and that God watches over us as we sleep. Perhaps a childhood bedtime prayer comes to mind for you too! As a loving God, he is our protector, our shield, our defender, our guardian.

What beautiful images of our God. May we rejoice today in the God who is both the hands that formed all of creation and the God who holds us each in those same hands. May our lives proclaim God’s glory!

Prayer: Father God, thank you for the many ways you touch my life. Thank you for the beautiful and magnificent world to live in. Thank you for the personal and intimate relationship that I have with you. You are a good and great and loving God. All praise and honor to you! Amen.