pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: form


by Leave a comment

Praise Be to God!

Reading: Psalm 148

Psalm 148:13 – “Let all of these praise the Lord’s name, because only God’s name is high over all.”

Psalm 148 is a song of praise to God. The word “praise” appears 11 times in these 14 verses. This call to praise goes out to all parts of our world. In verses 1-6 the psalmist invites the heavens to praise God. The sun, moon, and stars are called to praise God because they were each created at God’s command, set in place “always and forever.”

Verses 7-10 call on the created world to praise God. From sea monsters to hail and snow, to mountains and hills, to animals wild and tame – all are invited to praise the Lord. These too are the work of God’s hands. We are the focus of verses 11-12. The psalmist calls “every single person,” whether young or old, to praise God. We too are the beloved work of God’s powerful and mighty hands. Like the stars and the trees, we would not exist if not for God forming each of us in the womb.

Psalm 148 closes with a universal plea: “Let all of these praise the Lord’s name, because only God’s name is high over all.” Our creator is reigning on high. God’s majesty is over all the earth! For all that we are and for the one who formed us and walks with us today, we shout with all of creation, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your creative power and work that is evidenced by all of creation. Looking within and without we can see your fingerprints on all things. That divine touch continues to shape and form us, to lead and guide us. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Surrender All in Prayer

Reading: Philippians 4:4-9

Philippians 4:6 – “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all your requests to God in your prayers… along with giving thanks.”

Our words today come from a section titled “Stand firm in the Lord.” Paul encourages us to be people who are faithful in all moments in life. He writes twice in the opening verse, “Be glad!” Allow the joy we find in Christ to be evident in our lives. Be that something different that others notice. Paul then encourages us to be gentle in how we treat all people. This includes ourselves. This too will be noticed by others.

In verse 6 we read, “Don’t be anxious about anything; rather, bring up all your requests to God in your prayers… along with giving thanks.” There will certainly be times when anxiety (and fear, doubt, worry, stress…) are present in our lives. An unwanted change, an unexpected loss, an unwelcome diagnosis, an unwarranted injustice will happen. This is life. In these moments, Paul reminds us, we have a choice: anxiety… or take it to the Lord in prayer. Bring our anxiety or our whatever to God, surrender that feeling to God, and God will bring us a peace that comes from beyond ourselves. Paul also reminds us to ever be thankful. When we thank God for other times when God brought us peace… in the past, then we are assured that our compassionate and loving God will bring us peace… once again.

Continuing, Paul invites us to focus on all that is excellent and admirable – all that is true, holy, just, pure, lovely, and worthy of praise. In other words, focus on Jesus and on the gifts that come through our relationship with him. And, Paul says, if you need a more present reminder, remember what Paul and his fellow ministers taught and lived out. Like these faithful men and women, when we live faithfully, when we trust into God’s presence, when we surrender all to God in prayer, then God’s peace will be with us. May it be so!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the peace that comes when we enter your presence and surrender to you our anxiety and other emotions that can separate us from you and from others. Fill us with your peace that passes understanding so that we can walk with you through all that life throws our way. And even in the midst of the trials and struggles, remind us to be grateful and gentle, just as you are with us. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Saul’s and Cyrus’s

Reading: Isaiah 45:1-7

Isaiah 45:4 – “For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen, I called you by name.”

As I read today’s passage, I wondered: How many other Saul’s were there? We know about Saul because of his conversion experience and subsequent missionary work that spread faith in Christ far and wide. But how many other overly zealous Pharisees did God use to drive the church outward from Jerusalem?

In today’s text God speaks to Cyrus, the pagan king of Persia. God speaks to Cyrus near the end of God’s people’s time in exile. Israel had first been defeated and dispersed throughout the Babylonian empire. Judah fell to and we’re dispersed into the Persian empire. Cyrus is the third Persian king during Judah’s exile. In verse 1 God addresses Cyrus as “his anointed.” This word translates to “Messiah” in Hebrew and to “Christ” in Greek. God then tells Cyrus that God will “go before you” and will “level mountains” (kingdoms) and will give him “hidden treasures of great riches.” God will greatly bless Cyrus in many ways. But, why? Why not raise up another Moses-type figure?

God’s first purpose is “so you will know that I am the Lord.” Cyrus won’t necessarily come to believe in God but through this experience will certainly know God’s power and presence. The second purpose is revealed in verse 4: “For the sake of my servant Jacob and Israel my chosen, I called you by name.” In about 539 BCE Cyrus will defeat Babylon and issue the edict that allows the Jews to return home and to rebuild Jerusalem, the temple… Cyrus and the world will know “that there is nothing apart from me.” All is under God’s control. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you alone truly rule over all the earth. No one and nothing is outside of your power and presence. Today I thank you for the Saul’s and Cyrus’s – known and unknown to me – that you have used to shape and form me and my faith. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Mighty King

Reading: 1st Peter 5:6-11

1st Peter 5:10 – “The God of all graces, the one who called you into eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you.”

In this world, Satan seeks to steal our faith, to destroy our love of God and neighbor, to separate us from the peace, the contentment, the joy that we find in Christ. The evil one uses many tricks, traps, snares, lies, and half-truths to lead us into sin. In 1st Peter 5, Peter offers some thoughts on how to combat these attacks of the devil.

First, Peter encourages us to humble ourselves under God’s power. This means submitting our will to God’s will and surrendering having our way to living by God’s ways. Second, Peter invites us to throw our anxieties up on God, as well as our doubts, fears, worries… We can do so because God cares for us and wants to help us, bringing relief, assurance, confidence, and presence, easing our negative thoughts.

Peter calls us to be alert and clear-headed. The devil is always on the “prowl,” ever seeking to “devour” us with our own sin. We are encouraged to “resist him, standing firm in the faith.” We can do so with the God of love and power on our side. Yes, Peter acknowledges, we may suffer for a time or even for a season, but, “The God of all graces, the one who called you into eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you.”

Prayer: Lord God, as we seek to walk faithfully with you, we face so many challenges, so many tests. The voices of this world are so loud and so convincing, so tempting. As darkness rises or even begins to creep into our hearts, shine your light into our hearts, guide our steps, protect our hearts. Thank you, O mighty king. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Equipped

Reading: Romans 15:14-20

Romans 15:14 – “You yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, and are able to teach one another.”

Photo credit: Shane

At the start of chapter 15 Paul encourages the people in the church in Rome to be patient with and to build up one another. He encourages them to have the attitude of Christ and to welcome others as Jesus did. Paul wants to see their hope and joy overflow into the world through the power of the Holy Spirit. As we turn to verse 14, Paul is reminding the church that it is not just the pastor’s job to grow the church and the faith of those in the church and wider community.

In verse 14 we read, “You yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge, and are able to teach one another.” They have been shaped and formed into people that are equipped to minister to one another and to the world. They are ready to shape and form one another and any new disciples. He is reminding them “of what you already knew.” If they are to call themselves “Christians” then they need to model Christ. They too are to witness to their faith in God just as Jesus did. Paul has also set for them an example of what good ministry looks like. Bringing others to faith and growing their faith has happened “by what I’ve said and what I’ve done.” Paul has both encouraged and challenged the church, both built them up and called them out. And now the Roman church has been equipped to do the same. These words apply to us as well. As followers of Jesus Christ we have been equipped to help others know Jesus and to help one another grow in our faith.

Modeling Jesus with our words and actions is easy sometimes. Sharing joy and hope and love is not hard. The challenge comes when we are called to speak or act in situations where injustice or sin or some other wrong is taking place. To lift God’s will and way to the forefront and to challenge others to walk in this way can be hard and it can be costly. To fail to speak or to act will cause harm. Trusting in God, in the example of Jesus, and in the guidance of the Spirit, may we choose sacrifice and service to others.

Prayer: Lord God, there are times when it is easy to be a faithful witness in word or in deed. Encourage us to do so! And we also find ourselves in times and places when the Holy Spirit calls us to hold others accountable to who and what you call us all to be. Encourage and empower us to love you and neighbor even when it is hard and risky. All to your glory! Amen.


by Leave a comment

Presence, Purpose, Plan

Reading: Psalm 139:13-16

Psalm 139:14 – “I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.”

Overall, Psalm 139 is a celebration of God’s presence in our lives. The psalmist celebrates this presence, this touch, that is there with us even before birth in verses 13-16. There is a recognition that God is with us before we make any conscious choice to walk with God. So great is God’s love and care for us!

In verse 13 the psalmist acknowledges that it was God who formed his “innermost parts,” who “knit him together” in the womb. There is a deep connection, an intimacy to these thoughts. In the Hebrew world, innermost parts would include the soul (or spirit.) God’s touch is not just upon the physical aspects of who we are.

We lean into this idea in the next verse. Here the psalmist writes, “I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart.” Because he was uniquely and wonderfully made, there is a recognition that God has a purpose for him and, therefore, for each and every one of us. Made in the image of God, our purpose certainly includes caring for one another, for living one another just as God loves and cares for us. This plan and purpose is evident in verse 16 as well: “every day was written that was being formed for me.”

Whether our days are 10 or 10,000, whether our years are a handful or many score, God is ever present in meaningful and purposeful ways. Each and every day, good, bad, and in between, God walks with us, offering love and care. In this we rejoice, joining our thanksgiving with the psalmist’s!

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you today for creating us with your purpose and your plans in mind. We celebrate your presence in our lives. It is a presence that is constant, loving, and caring. Lord, help us to be this for others, being conduits of your presence, love, and care. Use us to bring you into the world and into the lives of those we meet. Amen.


by Leave a comment

God Breathes Life!

Readings: Genesis 2:7-8 and John 20:19-22

John 20:22 – “Then he [Jesus] breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.'”

We begin in Genesis 2, when God created man. Gathering up soil, shaping it into a form that resembled God, breathing breath into man’s nostrils, life was created and given. In the creating, man is connected to the earth and to God. Next God creates the garden and sends the man there, to care for and to nurture what comes from the earth.

In our John 20 passage, Jesus has come from the ground – out of the grave after three days to stand amongst the disciples. The human-divine one first offers peace to these men. Jesus then shows them his scars, connecting to their human nature. Joy fills the disciples. Again offering peace, Jesus next tells the disciples that he is sending them into the world. While not the garden in Eden, their task is essentially the same: go and care for and nurture this growing community of faith. Jesus then breathes life into them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The disciples receive the divine breath of the Spirit. This gives life and power to their spiritual life, connecting them to God and Jesus.

We too experience both of these births. Created in the image of God like Adam, God breathes physical life into our bodies as we draw our first breath. As we commit our lives to Jesus – to bring sent into the world to love God and neighbor – we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This indwelling presence gives life to our faith, empowering us to witness to the world. This day and every day may we draw upon this breath of life.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the gifts of life. You plant the spark of the divine in us when you form us in the womb. You bring this to life as you draw us into relationship, into faith in Christ. Embolden us each day to be your light and love in the world. Amen.


by Leave a comment

At the Center

Reading: Genesis 2:4b-25

Genesis 2:7 – “The Lord formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils.”

Today we read the second creation story. In this narrative, humanity is the centerpiece of the story. After forming the earth and sky, God “formed the human from the topsoil of the fertile land and blew life’s breath into his nostrils.” There is an intimacy to this act. It is not God speaking humanity into being, but God, much like a potter, shaping and forming the human body. God’s very “hands” were at work. Once the physical form is complete, God breathes life into the form. The very “breath” of God gives life to humanity.

God’s next act is to plant a garden, to create a place for this man to live. God provided trees with fruit and a river to irrigate this garden that man was to farm and care for. So that man was not alone, God next forms animals and birds. The man (not the creator) names these creatures. But there is not a “perfect helper” found for the man. So God provides this too. From the rib of the man God fashions a woman. These two beings form a team, a couple.

In this creation story all is done for humanity’s benefit, for their good, to meet their needs. Here we see God’s love for us, for all created in God’s image. God’s expectations of humanity? To love God in return and to care for this creation. As the story continues tomorrow, we see what a challenge this can be.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for today’s insight into the “why” of creation. You did all this to provide an ideal place for us to live. I feel a deep gratitude for your love and care for humanity that is at the center of your creation process. I am humbled to be your greatest love, along with my brothers and sisters in faith. Lord, help us to love you and your creation in the same way. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Act(s) of Salvation

Readings: Exodus 7:14-25, Exodus 8, Exodus 9, Exodus 10, Exodus 11, Exodus 12:1-30

Exodus 12:14 – “This day will be a day of remembering for you. You will observe it as a festival to the LORD… for all time.”

Photo credit: RebeccaB Designs

As the plagues begin, the Lord turns the Nile to blood and then brings frogs upon all the land. Pharaoh’s religious experts duplicate these acts of God. Pharaoh is stubborn, refusing to let the Israelites go to worship God. Next comes the plague of lice. The experts are unable to do this. They tell Pharaoh, “This is something only God could do!” Pharaoh remains stubborn. Next comes a swarm of insects. Pharaoh says he’ll let Israel go worship but changes his mind after God removes the insects.

Chapter 9 brings the plague of sores and blisters. This time we read that God made Pharaoh stubborn. The animals that die are only the ones belonging to the Egyptians. This plague begins to build to a climax in chapter 12. Hail then pounds the land next – but not in Goshen. Pharaoh admits his sin and asks for prayer, saying he’ll let them go. Moses will make it stop but also states that he knows Pharaoh and his officials do not take God seriously. Again Pharaoh gets stubborn, refusing to let Israel go.

The plague of locust and the plague of darkness come in chapter 10. Again God differentiates between Egypt and Israel. Again Pharaoh almost budges but then turns stubborn. The chapter closes with Pharaoh threatening Moses. We see a shift in chapter 11. God gives very specific instructions to the Israelites. This prioritizes reenactment and remembering over the actual event. The Passover is about shaping and forming each generation to come. This is why God says, “This day will be a day of remembering for you. You will observe it as a festival to the LORD… for all time.” The lamb, its slaughter, the blood, the meal – it will be reenacted each year to remember and to be shaped by this act of salvation. This festival remains the high point of the Jewish religious year. For us, it connects to the blood of the Lamb that spread on the cross, again a mighty act of salvation for the people of God. For this event that we reenact every year, for this act of grace that shapes and forms us, we too say thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the gifts of salvation – for both the one in Egypt and for the one on Calvary. Thank you for the love that will stop at nothing to rescue, save, and redeem us. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Drawn Back

Reading: Isaiah 64:1-9

Verse 8: “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Photo credit: Rainier Ridao

In ‭Isaiah‬ ‭64, God seems absent to Isaiah and to the people of God. The prophet longs for God to “rend the heavens and come down.” Isaiah longs for the people of God to once again know the God who “acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” When God has been known and then feels absent or withdrawn, one feels that. Life seems abnormal. We’ve all experienced this.

Isaiah recalls that God has indeed “come to help those who gladly do right.” When one lives faithfully and obediently, God is definitely active and present in one’s life. When we are aligned with God’s will and ways, it feels like we are walking closely with God. We too have experienced this.

Continuing on, Isaiah recognizes that the people have remained in their sin. They are “unclean” and right now “no one calls on God’s name.” They are out of alignment with God. They are not even seeking God. It is no wonder that God feels distant and disconnected. We too have experienced this.

Turning to verse 8, we find hope. Isaiah holds to a sure truth: God is present and just waiting to act. God does not abandon us ever. Speaking with hope and confidence Isaiah says, “Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.” God is yet there, ready and willing to shape and form the people back into who God created them to be. The prophet asks God to look upon them once again. Isaiah longs for restoration and reconnection. God is faithful. The people will be drawn back to God. We have experienced this too. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, when life leads me to question your presence or your love, when my choices or actions create a feeling of separation – draw me back to you. May the Holy Spirit call out my name; may my faith be rekindled, drawing me back to the only source of true life. Amen.