pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: equality


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Partners with God

Imagine the happiest couple you have ever seen – 80+ and still holding hands, giggling, kissing.  The deep and pure love that flows between them is just a glimpse into the vast love that God has for all of creation.  In creation itself we also see much of God.  In creation itself we can see both complexity and simplicity, both often created in wonder and beauty.

In creation we witness God’s strength and power.  He spoke all into being simply with His words.  God did not have to go into the lab in heaven to create water and earth and plants and animals and us.  He simply spoke and each was created.  What is even more amazing than this to me is that God also passes this power and strength on to us.  God gives His power and strength to all, especially to those who are weak and powerless and in need of God’s power and strength to face the many challenges that life brings their way.

In the continuing works of God and in the life of Jesus Christ, God continues to reveal Himself to us.  Our God created us as good and He desires that we act in good ways, bringing righteousness and equality into the world around us.  In Jesus we were shown what true love is really all about.  The love Jesus modeled is kind and gentle and truthful and giving.  This love flows to all, not just to a select few.  Our love is meant to be like Jesus’ love –  poured out to many to transform lives.

The amazing omnipotent and omnipresent creator of the universe and all that is in it invites us to partner with Him in transforming the world.  May we live lives full of His love, justice, strength, and power, bringing these into the lives of each we meet to do our part in healing a broken world.

Scripture reference: Psalm 45: 1-2 and 6-9


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The Question

Herod is a man who lived by manipulation, force, coercion.  He desperately wanted to be loved.  He worked at rebuilding the temple to curry favor from the Jews.  He went to great lengths to please his wife.  Guilt and self-doubt filled Herod.  When he hears stories of Jesus, he feared that John the Baptist had returned to judge him again.

Herod did not understand the world that John, and later Jesus, was trying to bring about.  Both John and Jesus experienced rejection and death because the rulers of the day would not hear their message of justice, peace, and love.  Both men willingly died to challenge the way the world was operating.  Both sought to bring the world shalom – the well-being of all, justice for all, equality for all people in all situations, and the blessings of God’s love, mercy, and grace.

In the world today I see people like Herod – driven by self-interests and greed.  Their priorities are far from those Jesus taught and died for.  In the world today I see many people who lack peace, justice, the basic necessities of life – things Jesus strove to bring to all people.  In the world today I see people who are suffering injustices and oppression – both in my hometown and throughout the world.

The question I must ask – the question all Christians must ask – is: what I am willing to do to bring this shalom to others?  It is a hard question.  But it is a question all Christians must not only wrestle with but one we must answer with how we live our lives.

Scripture reference: Mark 6: 14-16


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Make a Difference

The person of Jesus has been gone a long time.  His presence, brought to us through the power of the Holy Spirit, has been with humankind ever since.  Some believers spend a lot of their time looking to heaven through the disciplines of prayer, meditation, worship, and study.  To know and understand Jesus more and more is definitely a part of our journey of faith.  All of these means of grace develop our personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Many are comfortable with the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives in terms of how it helps them in these pursuits.  But our faith life is not all about looking up – it is also about looking in and looking around.  Faith is not meant to be lived in isolation or even with just our fellow believers.  The Spirit calls into our passions and seeks to use our God-given gifts and talents to be a difference-maker in our world.

As Spirit-filled followers we are called to be the kingdom of God here on earth. The Spirit leads us to wrestle with the things of this world – racial tension, economic injustice, violence, corruption… – the things that cause the heart of God to hurt.  We are called as followers of Christ to come alongside folks who struggle with these things and to lead the way for change in helping our world become the place God desires it to be.  We are to work for a world where justice and equality and fairness are the norms, not the exceptions.  Each of us must ask the Holy Spirit where we are called to minister in this world.  The twelve were sent out to make a difference in the world as they spread the message of the gospel.  This is our call as well.

Scripture reference: Acts 1: 9-11


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Know God and His Love

The Law is a long list of do’s and don’ts.  Teh vastness of the Law found in the Old Testament is hard to wrap one’s mind around.  Even our public law code today is long and cumbersome.  In both cases there were or are laws that the common man did not even know about.  Today most people obey the public law because it is for the common good.  Some obey the law to avoid the consequences of not following the law.

Today’s Psalm 1 begins with the don’ts.  Blessed is he who does not listen to the wicked or stand with sinners or sit with mockers.  In then turned to the thing to do: meditate on the laws of God.  Do so and you will yield fruit in season and you will prosper.  For the psalmist, there is reward in following God’s ways.

The same is true today.  Although Jesus looked at the law differently, there is still much value in following the ways of God.  In essence, when asked Jesus boiled all of the Old Testament Law down to two commands: love God and love neighbor.  If one follows these two commands, then all else falls in line.

If we love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength then we see the world as God does.  We see each person in need with compassion.  We see injustice as something that needs correction.  We see equality as something all people deserve.  If we love neighbor as self, then we offer compassion, ensure justice, and seek equality for all.  If we live in God’s love and allow it to pour forth from inside of us, then all will prosper and all will come to know God and His love.

Scripture reference: Psalm 1: 1-3