pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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With Us, Every Day

Reading: Matthew 28:16-20

Matthew 28:20 – “Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

Matthew closes his gospel with Jesus commissioning to disciples to carry on his work. There is no ascension here. Matthew is intentional in how he ends his gospel. Perhaps he picked up this idea from Mark. The abrupt end to Mark invites us to be the continuation of the story, to be the church. Matthew’s ending offers the same invitation.

Eleven disciples go to the mountain in Galilee. The women who met the risen Lord remind them of this planned gathering. In what feels curious to us at first, some disciples worship Jesus and others feel some doubt. But we too find ourselves here at times. We can feel some doubt even as we seek to cling to our faith.

Being given all authority in heaven and on earth, Jesus tells the disciples first to go. They are to go out into the world just as Jesus was out in the world. He spent also all of his ministry hours out in the world. Once our in the world, the disciples are to make new disciples. A disciple is one who repents of their sin, who trusts in Jesus for salvation, and who obeys Jesus’ teachings. Baptism in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is a public act of faith in and of surrender to Jesus Christ. Following baptism, the disciples are to teach new believers all of Jesus’ commands. This faith in and obedience to Jesus, to his teachings and example, this is the mark of a Christian and of the church.

This commission must’ve felt like a lot to the disciples. It feels like a lot to us. So may we too hear the promise Jesus makes to the disciples as his promise to us: Look, I myself will be with you every day until the end of this present age.”

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide us to live into our commission. Use us to draw others to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. When the task feels big, help us to hear the guidance of the Holy Spirit, your promised presence with us. Walk with us, carrying us along as needed. Amen.


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Love as Well

Reading: Romans 12:17-21

Romans 12:21 – “Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.”

Photo credit: Kate Remmer

Our five verses from the end of Romans 12 come from a section in which Paul is arguing that love is the primary command. In and over and through and around all things, first apply love. Paul is elevating here what Jesus lived out. If we, like Jesus, allow love to lead and guide all that we say, think, and do, then we will be continuing Christ’s work of building the kingdom of God here on earth.

In verse 17 Paul warns about repaying evil with evil. That’s our natural reaction, often our first thought, isn’t it? It’s what we see in the culture all around us. Be upside-down instead. Choose love. Choose the good. In this spirit we’re encouraged to “live at peace with all people.” Paul offers some realism here: “to the best of your ability.” Some folks want nothing to do with getting along with others. Their evil intents guide all of their actions.

Paul, however, doesn’t advise us to avoid such people. Leave all the revenge and paying back to God. Paul does advise us to look for our opportunities – our chances to be love. If the one who is our “enemy” is hungry then feed them. If they are thirsty then give them a drink. In loving on such as these, we are piling upon them our love, a way of sharing faith that could one day influence them too. In this way, we will be living out Paul’s wonderful admonition: “Don’t be defeated by evil, but defeat evil with good.”

While we may think that Paul is channeling his inner Jesus with all of this “love your enemy” talk, he is quoting from Proverbs 25. Love was at the core of who and what Jesus was, yes. But love is also at the core of the Old Testament. This should be no surprise. God is love. May we be so as well.

Prayer: Lord God, empower us today and every day to be love when the world expects hate. Guide us to ever choose the good, eschewing the temptation to do harm. Through our counter-cultural and upside-down life draw others towards Jesus Christ, our earthly model of love and peace. Amen.


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The Battle with Self

Reading: Galatians 5:13-21

Galatians 5:17 – “A person’s selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one’s selfish desires.”

In Galatians 5:13 Paul reminds the believers that they have been “called to freedom.” Having committed themselves to Jesus Christ, they have died to their old self and have been made new in Christ. They were freed from their old ways and from the power of sin and death. Through grace they are forgiven and made right with God – again and again. Paul warns the believers against returning to their selfish ways. Grace was and is not given so that one can indulge and indulge. Instead Paul calls them away from selfishness and into service through love. This call will fulfill the command to love neighbor as self.

Paul then draws a sharp contrast between living in the way of the Lord and living in the ways of the world. These two ways stand in opposition to one another. He puts it this way in verse 17: “A person’s selfish desires are set against the Spirit, and the Spirit is set against one’s selfish desires.” We know from our own life experiences that this is a constant battle. Our inherent selfishness is always calling us to love self. The Spirit is always calling us to love God and other. The Spirit calls us away from doing “whatever you want to do.”

Paul gives us quite the list of things we do when motivated by selfish motives. This list of 16 behaviors reveal many issues in our world today. We see many of these selfish actions on display each day. And, if we’re being honest, there are several on Paul’s list that we struggle with daily. This is why surrender of self is so important. Guided by the Spirit, we will be called to  selflessness instead of selfishness. Living the way of Jesus, we will build the kingdom of God both in this time and place and in our hearts. Doing both, we await our eternal inheritance. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, we ask for your Spirit presence in the battle between self and the call to love you and neighbor. On our own we struggle so. The impure thoughts, the unkind words, the selfish actions – they rise up so quickly. Counter this, O God, with the power of the Spirit. Moment by moment, call us to your will and ways. Amen.


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Foundation and Guide

Reading: 2nd Timothy 3:14-17

2nd Timothy 3:16 – “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character.”

In today’s reading Paul is encouraging Timothy to stay connected to scripture. God’s word is the foundation of our faith and the guide in our life. This is as true for us as it was for Paul and Timothy or any other person of faith.

In verses 14 and 15 Paul reminds Timothy of this foundation. He was taught the faith by his mother and grandmother, Eunice and Lois. These two women taught him not only the words of scripture but they also lived out their faith, setting for him an example. Hearing and doing the word “leads to salvation through faith that is in Jesus Christ.” Reflecting on your own past, who was it that taught and modeled faith for you?

In verse 16 we read, “Every scripture is inspired by God and useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character.” First, scripture is inspired by God. These words of Paul that we read today, for example, were words breathed into or given to Paul by God. These words still contain that “breath” of God. Those who read and do the words of God receive God’s life-giving breath, guidance, direction, correction, training…

In verse 17 our passage comes back around. Living in and through the word of God, one is “equipped to do everything that is good.” Just as Eunice and Lois were equipped, so will Timothy be equipped, so can we be equipped. May the word of God be our foundation, our guide, our power and strength.

Prayer: Lord God, your word has power – power to lead us to do good, to turn us back around when we stray, to cleanse us when we fail, to build us back up when we falter. Guide us daily to lean into and to stand upon your word. Use us to then be the word lived out in the world. Amen.


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One Focus

Reading: Acts 15:22-17:34

Acts 16:31 – “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved – you and your entire household.”

The Jerusalem Council sends a letter to the church in Antioch, explaining their decision concerning circumcision… The church receives the letter with joy. Paul then decides to revisit places that he and Barnabas went to check in on and to encourage the believers. Paul and Barnabas part ways over John Mark’s inclusion. Paul and Silas head one way, Barnabas and Mark another way. Both go with the same mission, scattered more broadly into the world.

Paul becomes the main focus as we continue reading Acts. In Lystra, Paul meets Timothy, a young disciple with some promise. He joins Paul and Silas as they travel and encourage the believers. In a vision, Paul is called to Macedonia. In verse 10 we find Luke’s first “we” as he becomes part of the mission team. Paul and company travel to Philippi, where they meet Lydia and others at “a place of prayer.” She embraces Paul’s message and Lydia and her household are baptized. She welcomes Paul and his fellow missionaries into her home.

In Philippi, Paul and company also meet a slave girl possessed by a demon. For data she follows them proclaiming them to be servants of God who offer “a way of salvation.” Paul grows tired of her and casts out the demon. This leads her owners to stir up trouble. Paul and Silas are stripped, beaten, and thrown in jail. Through prayer and worship God comes and intervenes, leading to rescue and salvation for the jailer and his household. Moved toward faith, Paul tells the jailer, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved – you and your entire household.” Doing so, all are baptized into a saving faith. Paul and Silas are released.

As they travel to Thessalonica, Boroea, and eventually to Athens, a pattern emerges. Paul teaches in the synagogue (and sometimes other places), some people come to faith, the Jews get jealous and stir up trouble, and Paul and company flee to the next place. Paul adapts his message to his audience, develops relationships with some, drawing them to Christ. Some are jealous or angry or reject his message. Overall, God is at work and the church grows and spreads further out into the world.

Prayer: Lord God, as we read, we come to see Paul’s one focus: sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. He adapts, he pivots, he pushes on, he perseveres. His one focus led and guided all that he did and said. Fill us with the Holy Spirit; lead, guide, and empower us to keep the proclamation of the gospel as our one focus. Amen.


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“All is well…”

Reading: Jeremiah 5:1-8:16

Jeremiah 6:19 – “I’m bringing disaster upon my people, the fruit of their own devices, because they have ignored my words… rejected my teaching.”

Chapter 5 begins with a search for one just person. None can be found. Judah has forsaken God, they are “utterly faithless.” Incorrectly they think God won’t really punish their sins. But God proclaims that a distant army is coming. They will devour everything. Because God’s people have abandoned God, they will soon “serve strangers in a land not your own.” Exile is coming.

In chapter 6 God notes that all are eager for profits and notes that the prophets and priests “trade in dishonesty.” They tell themselves “All is well” but nothing is well. God invites them to turn to the ancient paths as they stand at this crossroads, to choose to walk “the good way.” Judah rejects the invitation. Therefore God says, “I’m bringing disaster upon my people, the fruit of their own devices, because they have ignored my words… rejected my teaching.” Judah is invited to put on funeral clothes, to wail and weep. Disaster is coming.

The scene shifts to the temple for chapter 7. Judah falsely believes that the temple will stand forever – it is God’s house. God longs to dwell with the people in the temple. But to be present with them, they need to radically change their ways. Only then will God dwell with them in the temple. A warning is given: don’t change your ways and God will make the temple like the tabernacle at Shiloh. It was totally destroyed by Israel’s enemy. This leads God to a lament. God recalls bringing the people out of Egypt, leading them in the wilderness, teaching them God’s ways, hoping for obedience. They too were stubborn and hard-hearted.

In chapter 8 God wonders why the people “persistently turn away.” God laments that “everyone turns to their own course.” This selfish, stubborn, rebellious, hard-hearted people are drawing closer to disaster. And they continue to tell themselves, “All is well.”

Lord God, just as you lament Judah’s ongoing patterns of selfishness, greed, lust, dishonesty, and oppression, so too do you lament these things in our day. We have changed very little. Yet a small remnant remains. Strengthen and encourage us, guide us to faithfully walk in your ancient ways. Empower us to be speakers of truth and to be bearers of love and hope, of grace and mercy. Amen.


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Rescue Us, Bless Us

Readings: Psalms 141-144

‭Psalm 143:1 – “Listen to my prayer, LORD! Because of your faithfulness… Because of your righteousness, answer me!”

Photo credit: Patrick Schneider

Today’s four Psalms all contain pleas for help. They are all cries to God for saving, rescue, deliverance. While the “enemy” takes many forms in these Psalms, as it does in our lives, the constant here is God’s presence, goodness, faithfulness, and righteousness. It is precisely because God is these things that response and rescue is counted on from God.

Beautiful images begin Psalm 141 – prayers lifted like incense wafting up to heaven, hands held high like an offering to God. The psalmist seeks for God to guard their mouth and to keep their heart from evil things. Temptation is ever at the door. It is more than they can handle on their own. The psalmist asks for protection from the traps and snares. May we do so as well.

In Psalm 142 the author is really hard-pressed. They cry out, beg, pour out, and announce their needs. They feel like “no one” pays attention, including God. They desperately need release from “this prison.” A cave is likely the prison in Psalm 143. The psalmist cries out for rescue, not because of his or her own faithfulness or righteousness, but because of God’s. These characteristics of God will bring the psalmist out of their distress and will bring justice to this enemy.

Psalm 144 begins with a wonderful list of the roles God plays in the psalmist’s life and in our lives. It then shifts to the limits of our existence. We are “like puffs of air,” so temporary. And yet the psalmist seeks refuge and deliverance from the enemy. And also, God, grant blessing on our children, in our crops and livestock, and on our safety and security. Even in our own temporal world we too cry out these dual prayers: rescue us, O God, bless us, O Lord!

Prayer: Lord God, today, Lord, today when the enemy rises up, come and rescue us. Be a wall of protection around us, show us the way. May your faithfulness and your righteousness guide our way. Grant us the faith and the trust to lift our prayers in confidence and our hands in surrender to you. Amen.


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God’s Power Alone

Readings: Psalms 42-45

‭Psalm 44:25-26 – “Look: we’re going down to the dust… Stand up! Help us! Save us for the sake of your faithful love.”

Psalm 42 expresses a longing for God’s presence. This longing is something we’ve all felt. We all have dry seasons when our “whole being craves you, God.” Our tears too have been our food. In those moments it is important to remember God’s faithful love in the past. It is important even then to lift a song of praise to God. As the refrain says, “Hope in God! Because I will again give him thanks, my saving presence and my God.” God is unchanging. This truth will ever be true. God is our hope.

Psalm 43 is a continuation of Psalm 42. It closes with the exact same refrain. The writer calls for God’s light and truth. These will guide the psalmist; they will guide you and me. They lead to God, “my joy and my delight.”

Lament returns in full force in Psalm 44. It is a communal lament. The psalmist begins by remembering God’s guidance and provision in the past. This recalls Joshua’s conquest of the Promised Land, when God went before Israel. There is a recognition that it was God’s power alone that brought victory. It is the very thought that they count on now that they’ve been “rejected and humiliated.” When we struggle we too can draw upon God’s power, upon our memories of when God made a way. Remembering is a form of praying our faith forward. A desperate plea closes Psalm 44: “Look: we’re going down to the dust… Stand up! Help us! Save us for the sake of your faithful love.” Oh how we’ve prayed these words in our own translation. And may we pray them again and again.

As I began reading Psalm 45 at first I thought: “What?! A love song?!” Why, yes, a love song of God to God’s people. An invitation to celebrate, to be, to live out grace and beauty, truth and righteousness, humility and justice. From one generation to the next may our whole being embody, reveal, and bring praise to God forever and ever.

Prayer: Lord God, a song echoes in my mind: “Oh no, you never let go. In every high and every low, Lord, you never let go of me.” In seasons of disconnection, in times of suffering, in the valleys and on the mountaintops, may we declare your glory with our lives. May we trust daily in the only one who saves, in you, our God and King, our Lord and Savior. Amen.


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God Surrounds Us

Readings: Psalms 1-4

‭Psalms 4:1 – “Answer me when I cry out… Set me free from my troubles! Have mercy on me! Listen to my prayer!”

Today we begin the Psalms. These words of lament and praise have guided and given voice to faith and suffering for thousands of years. They invite us to walk this road too. Originally the Psalms were Israel’s song book. As do our hymns and praise songs today, the Psalms tell the history and the theology of the people of faith – both then and now.

Psalms 1 and 2 serve as an introduction to almost all that follows in Psalms 3-150. Psalm 1 focuses on living according to God’s instruction and Psalm 2 focuses on the kingship of God. Psalm 1 begins with a list of don’ts. If one wants to be truly happy (or blessed) then don’t do these things. We all have our own list. Instead, the psalmist invites us to recite God’s word day and night. In the original Hebrew the word we translate ‘recite’ would have meant literally mumbling or uttering God’s word under one’s breath all of the time.

Psalm 2 acknowledges that the world (i.e. – the wicked) takes its stand against God and against God’s anointed. The one called “son,” the one who shall reign over “all nations” – we read that as Jesus. The psalmist advises the world to worship this king “reverently” and with “trembling.” And again the theme: take refuge in God and be truly happy.

Psalms 3 and 4 are attributed to David. Both are about crying out to God. In Psalm 3 David is hard-pressed by Absalom’s rebellion and pursuit. While we might not be kings facing a coup, we deal with oppressors and others who want to do us harm. In many ways and in many situations we too can cry out, “Answer me when I cry out… Set me free from my troubles! Have mercy on me! Listen to my prayer!” And because God is ever faithful, figuratively and literally, we can “lie down and fall asleep in peace.” God surrounds us always. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you do fill our hearts with joy. Your face does shine upon us. We do not need to fear because you save and you rescue. When we rant and rave like the world, draw us to the Lord our refuge. Be intimately acquainted with our ways, O Lord, as we strive to grow intimately acquainted with your ways. Amen.


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Israel Was Joyful

Readings: 1st Chronicles 10, 1st Chronicles 11, 1st Chronicles 12

1st Chronicles 12:38 – “All these men of war, armed for battle, came to Hebron determined to make David king over all Israel.”

Our reading begins with the deaths of Saul and his three sons. This is the end of his reign. They die ingloriously in a battle with the Philistines, who dishonor the dead. Some brave warriors from Jabesh-gilead recover and bury their bodies in Jabesh.

The chronicler then turns to the story of David’s kingship. It begins at Hebron where Israel’s elders come to ask David to be their king. This unites Judah with Israel. David makes a covenant with them. God will be a part of his reign. David then conquers Jebus, renaming it Jerusalem. Zion and David’s city are also common names for Jerusalem. David and newly minted Joab repair the city.

Next we read a section on David’s mighty warriors. These men stood out for their skill in combat, for their bravery, and for their loyalty to David. The example of David craving some water from the well at Bethlehem is given as an example. On their own, three break through the Philistine lines and get him some water. David pours the water out to honor God.

Then we have a flashback to David’s time at Ziklag. This was when Saul was trying to kill him and he fled to Philistine territory. Warriors from Benjamin, Gad, Judah, and Manasseh come to support him as the next king of Judah. This shows that a transition is under way even though Saul yet lives. The story turns to Hebron, where a massive gathering of warriors and common folk alike gather to celebrate David becoming king. All 12 tribes are listed, reflecting the genealogies we read in chapters 1-9. All of Israel supports David as their king. The reading closes with this summary: “Israel was joyful.”

Prayer: Lord God, how right and good it is when your plans and purposes are worked out. How important it is for us to be an active part of that unfolding. We ask that you would lead and guide our lives, using us for your plans and purposes. Amen.