pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: hope


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Grace, Blessing, and Presence

Reading: Psalm 67

Psalm 67:1-2 – “Let God grant us grace and bless us… so that your salvation becomes known among the nations.”

This week we focus on God’s blessings – some physical and some spiritual. Our readings will culminate in Revelation with the tree of life that provides food and healing for the nations. Ezekiel 47 will also connect to this gift of God. Other readings this week focus on the peace, grace, and salvation offered by the Lord. We begin today with Psalm 67.

In the opening verses of Psalm 67 the writer invites God’s grace, blessing, and presence to be upon Israel. This is not just a request for Israel. These gifts from God will draw other nations to Israel so that they too can know the salvation that God offers. Our faith and our churches should function the same way. A quote often attributed to Francis of Assissi encourage us to preach the good news always, using words when necessary. God’s presence and love should be revealed in and through our lives, drawing others towards Christ and salvation.

Israel’s response and the response of those who receive salvation should be thanksgiving, celebration, and joy. God is just and fair and will guide all people to receive abundant life here and one day in the life to come. The physical joins these spiritual blessings in verse 6, where the psalmist acknowledges God’s hand at work. Here he or she writes, “The earth has yielded its harvest.” This too is a blessing from our creator God. It is how God designed and created this world. While this is yet to be realized, we pray for a time when all people experience the abundance that God intends for all the earth. This is God’s plan and design. With hope we join our voices with those in the far ends of the earth as we rejoice and say, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, we thank you today for the many ways in which you bless our lives. Here you are our provider and guide, our encourager and sustainer, our hope and our light. You call us to abundantly and graciously share these blessings with others, opening their hearts to receive from you. This is just the beginning though. You also offer eternity in your glorious presence through the salvation of our souls. For all of this, O God, we too thank you. Amen.


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He Is Alive!

Reading: John 20:1-18

John 20:18 – “Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, ‘I’ve seen the Lord!'”

The first Easter long ago began quietly, with Mary Magdalene making her way to the tomb in the time just before dawn. It was light enough out to see that the stone was moved. She goes and tells Peter and John. They come and look. They see the grave cloths lying there. Peter and John leave, not understanding what has happened.

Mary remains, undeterred from her focus. Taking a second look inside, she see two angels. She inquires of them – sort of. She tells them that the body is missing. Mary turns and faces a person. She doesn’t recognize him as Jesus – yet. He asks her why she is crying and who she is looking for. Again, the same response: “If you’ve carried him away…”

“Mary.” Jesus speaks her name. She recognizes the voice and maybe the feeling in speaking her name. At times Jesus speaks our names too. It’s often when we’re distraught or overwhelmed or… It might not be audible but he does call, beckoning us back to the place of peace…

Jesus gives Mary instructions: go and tell the others. In verse 18 we read, “Mary Magdalene left and announced to the disciples, ‘I’ve seen the Lord!'” The first evangelist shares the good news of Jesus Christ for the very first time. He is alive! Yes, Jesus is alive!! Hallelujah!!

Prayer: Lord God, what great news! Life and hope, joy and peace – all bundled up together. The cross and the grave have been defeated..sin and death no longer hold sway or have power over us. As Jesus calls our name, O God, tune our hearts and ears to that call. Thank you. Amen.


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Our Great High Priest

Reading: Hebrews 10:19-24

Hebrews 10:19 – “Brothers and sisters, we have confidence that we can enter the Holy of Holies by means of Jesus’ blood.”

Hebrews 10 begins with a description of Christ’s “once-for-all” sacrifice. The author explains that Jesus, through his sacrificial death, put an end to the old sacrificial system. This system was unable to “take away our sins.” In addition, the mechanics of the system prevented a personal connection to God. The priest heard your sin and offered the atoning sacrifice on your behalf. There was also a second barrier to God. The Holy of Holies, the space which held the ark (God’s presence,) was separated off by a huge curtain. The high priest alone entered this most intimate and sacred space just once a year, seeking forgiveness and blessing for the people of God.

Verses 19-24 are a summary of what Christ’s sacrifice means for us. In the first verses we read, “Brothers and sisters, we have confidence that we can enter the Holy of Holies by means of Jesus’ blood.” As Christ breathed his last breath the curtain in the temple was literally torn in two, top to bottom. The physical barrier was removed. Christ opened the way, “a new and living way,” so that we could have a personal relationship with God. Christ is our new “great high priest” that invites us to draw near to God with a genuine, cleansed heart. Forgiveness and cleansing are ours every time we confess and repent of our sins. Jesus’ blood was and is the “once-for-all” sacrifice that stones for our sin. Hebrews also reminds us that we can “hold onto the confession of our hope,” because Jesus is faithful. We have confessed Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. It is only in and through him that we can remain faithful too. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the new covenant, one written on our hearts because Christ’s Spirit dwells in our hearts. This personal and intimate connection is a great gift. You are with us always. Lord, lead and guide us to live out our faith, encouraging one another in love. May this love lead us to be and do good in the world, drawing others into the new and living hope that we have in you. Amen.


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Here and Now

Readings: Luke 17:20-21 and 22:14-20

Luke 17:21 – “Don’t you see it? God’s kingdom is already among you.”

In Luke 17 some Pharisees ask Jesus when God’s kingdom is coming. Maybe they hope Jesus will turn into the kind of Messiah they’re looking for: strong, powerful, able to defeat the Romans. Or maybe they hope that since Jesus claims to be the “Son of Man,” then he’ll be able to tell their when their Messiah will come. Inviting these religious leaders into the present reality, Jesus says, “Don’t you see it? God’s kingdom is already among you.” Open your eyes and hearts, it is here and now.

This can be a question Christians can ponder too. One can think that accepting Jesus will be a cure for all that ails us. One can think that life will only be blessed because we’re following Jesus. No, all of life still happens. Jesus will and does walk with us, bringing peace and hope in the storms, comfort and strength in the trials… In turn, we offer these to others. This is the kingdom of God at work here and now.

Almost a week later, Jesus gathers in Jerusalem with his disciples. It is Passover and they are gathered around the table. Jesus shares two interesting things with the disciples. First, he “earnestly desires” to share this meal with them. Second, he tells them, “I won’t eat it until it is fulfilled in God’s kingdom.” Little did they know, this would be the next day. Jesus then share the bread as his “body… given for you.” Then the cup is shared as the “new covenant… poured out for you.” After Jesus fulfills these words and their promise, completing this act of sacrifice, followers of Christ will remember this gift by celebrating Holy Communion. Each time, in that moment, God’s kingdom is here and now.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your presence with us and through us. When we experience or share your light and love, your grace and peace, your hope and strength, the kingdom of God manifests itself here and now. We are reminded of the depth of your light and love… in the sacrifice you made on the cross. When we remember this act, we are made new again, here and now. Thank you for this gift. Amen.


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A Spiritual Kingdom

Readings: Ezekiel 37:22-23 and Matthew 11:2-6

Ezekiel 37:23 – “They will be my people, and I will be their God.”

Photo credit: Jon Tyson

The prophet Ezekiel speaks God’s word to those living with him in exile in Babylon. Both Israel and Judah were conquered and many people were relocated to this foreign land. It was hard to maintain their faith in this pagan place. Living in oppression in captivity, these words would spark hope in a hopeless people. God speaks of bringing them home, reuniting them as one people under one king. In this new reality the people of God will no longer pursue idols or other things that lead them into rebellion against God. They will be cleansed. God declares, “They will be my people, and I will be their God.”

In Matthew 11:2 John the Baptist is in prison, arrested for speaking out against Herod’s immoral behavior. As news of Jesus’ work spreads, John sends his disciples to Jesus. They ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” Jesus responds with a report about what he’s been up to. The blind see and the crippled walk. The deaf hear and the dead are raised. The poor hear the good news. These words are from Isaiah 35 and 61. These words of God spoken through the prophet Isaiah speak of a day when God would restore Israel.

The religious leaders and most of the people of Jesus’ day longed for a mighty Messiah to free them from Rome’s oppression. They read the words from Ezekiel 37 with this longing in mind. Slight problem. They forgot the context of these verses. These words follow and are connected to the vision of the dry bones – God’s vision for restoring Israel’s dry and dead faith. These words speak of a Messiah who will restore Israel’s faith, not their political might. Digging deeper, we see that Jesus’ kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly kingdom.

Prayer: Lord God, sometimes we too want you to be what we think we need. Because of our situation or circumstance we want you to be this or that. Help us, instead, to see with eyes focused on your kingdom, on your will and way. Guide us to know your heart, for there we find out who you truly are. Knowing you intimately and personally, you are our God and we are your people. From this place of connection, use us to be your good news for the world. Amen.


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Keep at the Walk

Reading: Mark 16:1-8

Mark 16:7 – “Go, tell the disciples… You will see him there, just as he told you “

Photo credit: Aaron Burden

As originally written, Mark’s gospel seems to end abruptly and without resolution. It ends with the women fleeing in fear. They were so afraid, they didn’t say anything to anyone. That’s the original ending point. In the fourth and second centuries one verse 9 and verses 9-20 were added, respectively. In these additions the women do tell and the risen Jesus does appear to his followers. But Mark’s original ending, it really does beg the question: Why end it there, that way?!

Mark’s whole gospel is aimed at getting the church to be the church. The teachings he chooses and the parables Mark employs are all aimed at reminding the church of how Jesus taught and called them to live in the world. Chapter 16 is no different.

Mary, Mary, and Salome go and buy spices to anoint a body. Their hopes were dashed at the cross. Here they do the next thing. Church, disappointment and apparent failure will come. Keep doing the next thing. The women worry about the stone. They wonder who will move it. Here God does a thing. Church, if you are faithful, trust God to act. Inside the empty tomb an angel gives them instructions. They’re afraid. They do nothing. But we’re reading these words so the story doesn’t really end this way. Church, when God speaks something to you that feels scary or risky or hard to believe, say or do it anyway. Believe in God’s whispers, nudges, and movements. Then be amazed by what God does. This story is ongoing. The call to keep at the walk of faith, to trust and believe, to be amazed by God – that’s still our story. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to be the faithful church. Guide us on an obedient walk. When there is struggle, when there is disappointment, when there is uncertainty, when there is fear and worry – whisper words of love, nudge us with your presence, move alongside us. Use us as your church. Amen.


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Redeem, Restore, Rescue

Readings: Psalm 137:1-3 and 8, Zechariah 9:9

Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion. Sing aloud, Daughter Jerusalem. Look, your king will come to you. He is righteous and victorious. He is humble and riding on an ass.”

The people of God had already experienced much trauma leading up to their exile in Babylon. The nation had split into Israel and Judah. Both parts experienced good and bad kings – much more of the latter. Israel, and later Judah were conquered and hauled into exile. It is in this foreign land, living under a pagan oppressor, that Israel’s longing for a Messiah really begins to take shape.

Psalm 137 is a song of lament. In the first few verses the writer expresses the people’s collective sadness. Their captors are forcing them to sing songs of joy. These songs are intended to be sung as they ascend to the temple, preparing themselves to worship God. They were forced to sing these songs out of place, to a God whose home – the temple – was destroyed. It is no wonder that they long for destroyer Babylon to be paid back by the one who will come to redeem and restore Israel.

This longing for a rescuer, for a Messiah, is expressed in Zechariah 9:9. These words will be brought to life by a king riding into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. Psalms will be waving and shouts of “Hosanna!” will fill the air. It’s just the Romans who now oppress, who now need overthrown. This is the king that Israel still longs for. It is just not the kind of king that Jesus will prove himself to be. His rescue, redemption, and restoration is not military but personal and spiritual.

Prayer: Lord God, for many the longing for a Messiah remains very real. Today people long to be redeemed and rescued – from an abusive relationship, from addiction, from financial hardship, from illness, from oppression, from injustice… These real struggles weigh upon their hearts, upon our hearts. Lord Jesus, please ride into our hearts, enter through those gates, bringing a peace to the battles, a calm to the chaos, a strength to the weakness, a wholeness to the brokenness. Rescue, redeem, and restore. Amen.


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Rescuer, Redeemer, Hope

Reading: Habakkuk 2:9-11

Habakkuk 2:11 – “A stone will cry out from a village wall, and a tree branch will respond.”

The book of Habakkuk wrestles with the question, “Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer?” The prophet struggles with the idea that God could use the wicked for God’s own purposes. In the midst of our own suffering we too can wonder how any good can come from our suffering. In these moments, like the prophet, we must trust and lean into our good and loving God.

In our short passage Habakkuk pronounces doom on “the one making evil gain.” Babylon has used power, deceit, and dishonesty to add to their own wealth, at the expense of Israel. The prophet predicts that the ultimate outcome will be shame and death for evil Babylon. In many ways this is a timeless story. Greed and the hunger for power will always be sins that humanity struggles with. Today many people could utter the words of the prophet.

Hope comes in verse 11. The prophets hopes for a rescuer, for a Messiah. He trusts that God will redeem and restore God’s people. Hope will come through the cornerstone, through the root of Jesse. The longing of God’s people will be answered in Jesus Christ. He continues to be our rescuer, our redeemer, our hope. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, this ago-old story feels true yet today. The gap between those with and those without grows. Power becomes more consolidated. May we, your children, be the stones that cry out for justice. May we, created in your image, be the branches that bring righteousness back to the land. God, restore your people, redeem the oppressed. Amen.


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Sure and Strong

Reading: Psalm 42:1-8

Psalm 42:8 – “By day the Lord commands his faithful love; by night his song is with me.”

Photo credit: Pablo Heimplatz

Psalm 42 is a song of lament. It is attributed to the Korahites, the clan from the tribe of Levi assigned to lead temple worship. As the song begins, the psalmist expresses a deep thirst for God. The thirst is so deep it has become a craving. A thirst this deep is expressed only here and one place in Joel. As tears have become his or her only food, there is a great longing to be in God’s presence once again.

In verses 4-6 there is a hope that flickers as the psalmist recalls times in God’s presence. Even as they “bare my soul” the writer recalls being in God’s temple, worshipping with joy and thanksgiving at one of the great festivals. Counting on experiencing this again, the psalmist declares, “Hope in God!… my saving presence.” In our moments of feeling separated from God may we too recall times when God was a sure and strong presence in our lives.

Verse 7 is an interesting verse. How we read it depends on perspective. If we read with the first few words of verse 6 then it feels Noah-like, as he sank into the depths of the sea. However, if we read it with the rest of verse 6 and with verse 8 then it feels like it is God’s faithful love washing over the psalmist, wave after wave. I choose the second reading. It then leads to the declaration: “By day the Lord commands his faithful love; by night his song is with me.” God is present even in the hard and difficult of life. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the reminder of your constant presence in our lives. In the moments when we feel like the psalmist – down, alone, anxious – bring to our minds those other moments, times when your presence and love were sure and strong in our lives. Lift our spirits up into your power, fill our hearts with your song. Amen.


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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.