pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: humble


by Leave a comment

Images

Reading: Matthew 22:41-46

Matthew 22:42 – “What do you think about the Messiah?”

.

After answering the Pharisees’ question about the greatest commandment, Jesus asks them a question. It is interesting to note the phrase “surrounded by the Pharisees.” Matthew implies that every single Pharisee is there that day. In your mind’s eye, can you picture Jesus standing there, surrounded by a large group of men in religious robes? And a second question: in the picture you created in your mind, what did Jesus look like?

Jesus asks the Pharisees, “What do you think about the Messiah? Whose son is he?” They know the answer given in the scriptures. The Messiah will come from the line of David, their greatest king. They know that the Messiah will be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. They know… And they know that this man standing in their midst cannot be the Messiah. The Romans are still there. Israel hasn’t been restored to greatness and glory.

Correcting them, Jesus quotes from Psalm 110, verse 1. The Messiah, the one David called “my Lord,” will be greater than David. But Jesus, what could be greater than restoring Israel to greatness and power? That is the Messiah that the Pharisees have in their mind’s eye as they image a time in the near future. Do you think they saw a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jesus standing triumphantly? This image is likely what most of us saw in our mind’s eye as we pictured Jesus amongst the Pharisees.

Returning to Jesus’ question, “What do you think about the Messiah?,” how would we answer this question? The temptation is to shape Jesus into something or someone that meets our needs, our wants, and our expectations. This Jesus really loves us. But yesterday we were reminded that the call is to love God with all that we are and to love our neighbors more than ourselves. This is the Messiah that laid down his life in humble obedience, loving us enough to suffer and die for us. This is the model and example that we are to follow. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, our images of Jesus tend to make him into our image. Remind us that the reverse is true: we are made in your image and therefore in his image. Guide us to live with the correct order. Lead us to hold Jesus as the Lord of our lives. Amen.


by Leave a comment

On the Edges

Reading: Matthew 22:1-14

Matthew 22:9 – “Therefore, go to the roads on the edge of town and invite everyone you find to the wedding party.”

Continuing his response to the religious leaders’ questions about his authority, Jesus tells a third parable. This one is more directly about Israel and the kingdom of God. The “king” sent servants to invite people to a wedding banquet for his son. But the people ignored Elijah, Jeremiah, and others. Some were beaten and some were killed. So God sent others – Daniel, Amos, Micah… The people of God continued to ignore and sometimes abuse God’s servants. The Assyrians and then the Babylonians destroyed cities, setting much on fire. John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, both calling the people of God to the great wedding banquet. The chosen people mostly ignored and eventually killed these prophets too.

The focus of the king’s invitation shifted as the people of God proved unworthy of the call: “Therefore, go to the roads on the edge of town and invite everyone you find to the wedding party.” Stepping outside the circle of those who thought themselves already chosen, the apostles and disciples of Jesus went to the edges – to Samaritans and other Gentiles, inviting them to the party. Many came. They were mostly good and genuine but not all were. Yet today some show up every Sunday morning but one wouldn’t know it if one observed their Sunday afternoon through Saturday night. Those who refuse to truly clothe themselves in Christ will one day be tossed into the eternal darkness.

Many are invited but few are chosen. Following the way of Jesus is hard and requires sacrifice and humble service to God and neighbor. To practice grace, mercy, forgiveness, compassion, and kindness is to live out our faith. To love, welcome, draw in, include, and invite is the call of our faith. May we daily clothe ourselves in Christ.

Prayer: Lord God, for many people the allure of “fields” and “businesses” is great. At times we too are drawn to the things of this world. In these moments we ignore your word and the Spirit. Come and meet us on the edges, invite us back to the table again and again. And as we experience your neverending invitation, may we become truly invitational – inviting, welcoming, and including all people. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Forgiveness

Reading: Genesis 45:1-8

Genesis 45:7 – “God sent me before you to make sure you’d survive and to rescue your lives in this amazing way.”

Credit: Rebecca Gelaney

As we turn to Genesis 45, we’ve jumped ahead in Joseph’s story. Joseph has had lots of ups and downs since being sold into slavery in chapter 37. Through the trials, Joseph has come to know God’s plans and purposes. Joseph’s brothers have made two trips to Egypt to buy food. Joseph has learned much about his brothers and about his family. Judah – the one who first voiced the idea of selling Joseph into slavery – offers his life in place of Benjamin’s. This selfless act brings Joseph to the place in today’s reading where he “could no longer control himself.” His emotions get the best of him.

Clearing the room of all but his brothers, Joseph weeps uncontrollably. Blurting out, “I’m Joseph,” his brothers are “terrified.” Calling them closer, Joseph shares his understanding of past events. He believes that it all was the hand of God at work. He says to his brothers, “God sent me before you to make sure you’d survive and to rescue your lives in this amazing way.” There is the promise of safety, protection, provision, and rescue in these words. These promises will be fleshed out tomorrow, when we read verses 9-15. Joseph can see how God was at work in his past and he believes that God will be at work in his future.

As we journey through this life we too will find ourselves in these places: either in a position to give or withhold forgiveness, or in a place to receive or reject another’s forgiveness. We may be in one of these places today. It will likely be sooner rather than later. In these moments, may we choose to move forward in faithful love, offering to others what God so freely gives to us or humbly receiving that offered to us in faithful love. Living as people of love and grace, we bless others and honor God.

Prayer: Lord God, it is not always easy to practice forgiveness. We want to hold onto grudges and wrongs done to us. We want to be right and asking for forgiveness puts dents in our armor. Humble us, O Lord. Remind us of your abundant grace and mercy. In turn, lead and guide us to be generous with our grace and mercy, with our love and forgiveness. Amen.


by Leave a comment

The Life We Choose

Readings: Psalm 119:105-106 and Romans 8:1-5

Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp… a light for my journey.”

Romans 8:4b – “Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness.”

Light and dark

In this week’s Disciplines devotional, Reverend Bruce Reyes-Chow connects a verse or two from Psalm 119 with another lectionary passage each day. As I like the connection, I will follow his example this week. In Psalm 119, we read this today in verse 5: “Your word is a lamp… a light for my journey.” In church yesterday, we sang the hymn “Thy Word.” Today’s verses and this familiar song identify God’s word as our guide in this life. Within the scriptures we find the Word. In the gospels we see Jesus’ light and love as the example of how to live faithfully in this sinful world.

In Romans 8 this week, Paul contrasts living in the Spirit with living in the flesh. As is the case with much of Paul’s writing, this contrast is presented as a clear choice: Spirit or flesh? Good or evil? Life or death? But as we learned last week in Romans 7, this is a “war” that is constantly ongoing. One simply doesn’t choose to live by the Spirit and that’s that. As Paul wrote in Romans 7:25, “evil is right there with me.” The fleshy part of us never fully dies.

Based on Jesus’ example and empowered by the Holy Spirit, Paul offers this declaration: “Now the way we live is based on the Spirit, not based on selfishness.” While our Spirit-flesh decision is not a “one-and-done” decision, the side we choose and intend to stand on matters. Choosing the Spirit, we are guided towards a life of love and light, of humble service, and of generous compassion. This life is the opposite of the selfish, inwardly focused way of the world. May we, as Paul encourages, choose to live a life “based on the Spirit.” In this life we find love, peace, hope, joy, contentment, and meaning. May this be the life we choose today, tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that day…

Prayer: Lord God, while the war truly rages on day after day, where we take our stand matters. Each day, Lord, empower us to choose you and a life lived in the Spirit. Strengthened and encouraged, light our path and show us the way of love. Amen.


by Leave a comment

What if?

Reading: Psalm 8:5-9

Psalm 8:5 – “You’ve made them [humanity] only slightly less than divine, crowning them with glory and grandeur.”

Yesterday as we read the first verses of Psalm 8, we were reminded of humanity’s smallness relative to God’s power and majesty. This realization is humbling, maybe even sobering. Then, in verse 5 we read, “You’ve made them only slightly less than divine, crowning them with glory and grandeur.” Reading these words can shatter that humility. In our competitive world, nobody really likes to be #2. Our fleshy part can take the reality that God is indeed almighty and all-powerful and… then say to ourselves, ‘Well, no one can be like God, so it’s almost like we’re #1!’ From that perspective, we’ll be utter failures with the role God gives us in the next verses in Psalm 8.

David writes of one of God’s biggest expectations of humanity in verses 6-8. Created in God’s image, “slightly” less than God, we’ve been tasked to “rule over your [God’s] handiwork” – that which was “very good.” Other translations use words like ‘dominion’ and ‘in charge of.’ In newer translations we begin to read words like ‘steward’ and ‘care for.’ These words better reflect the “created in God’s image” part of our story.

A few years ago, the WWJD bracelets… drew our minds and hearts to make Jesus’ life and example more a part of our daily life and decisions and actions. Those little “What Would Jesus Do?” silicone bands… caused us to pause before speaking, acting, or doing. What if we wrapped our care of creation – both the natural world and all of humanity – in WWGD thinking? What if?

Prayer: Lord God, yes, what if we treated the world and one another as you do? What if we loved it all as you love it all? The earth would not cry out. People would not be oppressed nor suffer violence. Nations would not wage war and quarrel. What if we ruled over this world as you would, O God? It is a beautiful and glorious thought. So Lord, use us, your children, to live and be in the world as you call us to live and be in the world. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Majesty and Glory

Reading: Psalm 8:1-4

Psalm 8:1 – “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name throughout the earth!”

Photo credit: Greg Rakozy

Moving from Genesis 1 and 2 to Psalm 8, we stay within the framework of God’s power and creative presence. The Psalm begins with a familiar refrain about God’s majesty and glory. This line is found in other Psalms as well as in hymns and contemporary Christian music. It is natural and just feels right to pronounce, read, and sing about the majesty and glory of the Lord our God.

In verse 2 the psalmist recognizes the breadth of God’s power. The cries of “nursing babes” are heard by God, motivating God to stop Israel’s “vengeful enemies.” God’s attention to the least of these is a testament to both God’s love for humanity and to the special place that the vulnerable and lowly hold in God’s heart.

Instead of leading to pride, though, this thought leads David to a moment of humility. Looking upward into the night sky, seeing the moon and the vast array of stars, David reflects, writing, “What are human beings that you pay attention to them?” In the expanse of creation, a space that reaches beyond the furthest star, God’s power and majesty and glory are fully revealed. This thought makes David feel oh so small. Maybe you have felt this too at times as you gaze upward to the stars or outward across an endless ocean.

While it is good to feel our smallness at times, the reality is that God is mindful of us – of you and of me. God knows each of us intimately and personally. This too is a testament to God’s majesty and glory. All praise and honor are yours, O God!

Prayer: Lord God, thinking of the vastness of the universe and realizing that you created it all, we are awed and amazed. Recognizing that like the stars, you know each of us by name, we are humbled. In this place, we offer up a word of praise and a simple “thank you.” As almighty and all-powerful as you are, you still know us down to the detail of the hairs on our head. Wow. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Faithful Suffering

Reading: 1st Peter 5:6-11

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

Wednesday’s reading from 1st Peter 4 was about the “fiery trials” we face on our walk of faith. Today’s reading is first about how to get through these trials and then is about the end results of staying faithful. Peter offers four steps to help us remain faithful. The first is to “humble yourself under God’s power.” Maybe you’re like me though. My first thought in a time of trial often revolves around how do I get out of this trial, how do I stop the suffering, how do I… But I’m slowly learning that when I do surrender control to God, my time in the trial involves less suffering, less scaring, less hardship. And it always works out better.

We find the second step in verse 7: “Throw all your anxiety into him.” If you’ve followed step one, this step is SO much easier. When I’m trying to do it on my own, I tend to hold onto the anxiety, stress, fear, worry… It’s still about me. But when I place the control in God’s hands, it is much easier and more natural to give up all the anxiety… too.

Verse 8 turns to a reality that we don’t always recognize. Satan is ever “on the prowl,” seeking to tempt us into sin. The whispered lies, the half-truths, the distortions of facts… – just a small sampling of Satan’s bag of tricks. Yes, we certainly need to be clear-headed and alert. This helps us to resist the evil one and to see his temptations.

Peter closes with the outcome of faithful suffering: “The God of all grace, the one who called you into his eternal glory in Jesus Christ, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you.” The end game is glory in eternal life. The present game is a deeper, more devout walk with the Lord. It is true. You and I have experienced it. Looking back at a trial or time if suffering, we can see how God restored, empowered… This is part of our story of faith. May we learn to tell it well so that others in a similar trial or time of suffering may find hope. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, how we need you! While you are ever-present and all-powerful, the evil one is always right there too, tempting, pulling, trying to separate us from you. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, guide us to humility and surrender. Only then do we stand a chance in these battles. Lead us through, O Lord, refining and restoring, strengthening and empowering us for the next inevitable battle. Thank you for your faithful love and unending grace. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Abundant Life

Reading: John 10:7-10

John 10:10b – “I came so that they could have life – indeed, so that they could have life to the fullest.”

Photo credit: Paz Arando

As we turn to the second half of this week’s John 10 passage, Jesus lays out why choosing to listen to his voice, to follow where he leads, and to enter his gate makes all the difference. In verse 8 Jesus reminds his readers that those who came before him were “thieves and outlaws.” The sheep didn’t listen to them because listening didn’t change their lives. In Jesus’ day, Israel was no better off than when Moses gave the Law. There was no power of forgiveness or grace in the cycles of sin and sacrifice present when living under the Law.

As the gate that gives real life, to enter Jesus’ way is to find a forgiveness and grace that removes the guilt and restores us to new life. Freed from the power of sin, we are able to “go out and find pasture.” We are able to live with joy and peace and hope. We are able to receive and to offer forgiveness, mending broken relationships. In these ways, we share our joy and peace and hope with others.

But the “thief” – the ones who live by the ways of this world – they come again and again to “steal, kill, and destroy.” They come to do whatever is needed to elevate self, to accumulate wealth, to exert power over others. This life also leads to a cycle – of wanting more and more. This endless chase leaves one with a life that feels empty, without hope, desperate.

Jesus offers the polar opposite. He proclaims, “I came so that they could have life – indeed, so that they could have life to the fullest.” There is no better life than one given to Christ, surrendered to his grace, dedicated to loving God and neighbor above self. Abundant life in Christ – there is no other way. May this be the life that we choose, each day, into eternity.

Prayer: Lord God, the way of the world can seem attractive: bright, shiny, new, full of pleasures. Your way can seem simple, basic, humble. Your example runs counter to the ways of power over and of glorifying self. Instead, your way seeks to lift others, to give away and share, to walk beside. Guide us to always choose your way of love, finding abundant life, sharing it with others. Amen.


by Leave a comment

An Example to Follow

Reading: 1st Peter 1:19-25

1st Peter 1:24 – “He carried in his own body on the cross the sins we committed. He did this so that we might live in righteousness.”

Peter begins our passage for today with a reality check. He is reminding his readers then and us today that to walk steadfastly in the faith can sometimes be difficult. When we stand for our faith and for what is right and just in God’s eyes, then we might suffer. This is so because almost always, in cases of unjust suffering, we are standing or speaking against someone or something that runs contrary to the will and way of God. Those creating or maintaining these injustices and evils are doing so for personal gain in this world. Now, choosing to stand or speak for what is just and right is not a one-off or a “thing” we do when it is convenient. It is who we are because it is who Jesus was. Of this Peter writes, “You were called to this kind of endurance, because Christ suffered on your behalf.” The cross was and is very much a statement against the ways of this world.

Peter then reminds us of Jesus’ example. He did not insult those who insulted him. He did not “threaten revenge.” Jesus trusted God’s will and way in all times and situations. In the end, this led Jesus to endure the greatest possible suffering: “He carried in his own body on the cross the sins we committed. He did this so that we might live in righteousness.” Taking on our sin, paying the atoning price with his life, Jesus made it possible for our sin to be healed. Though we stray, yes, we always have Jesus Christ, the “shepherd and guardian of your lives.” We have an example to follow. And when we fall short, we have one who redeems and saves us. Thanks be to God for the Savior of our lives and of our world.

Prayer: Lord God, to what do you call us today? Is it to the simple and humble walk of a servant of the king? Is it to a place of suffering alongside those dealing with injustice or oppression or violence or…? Lord, to the people and places that you call us today, may we live well the example set by Jesus, our shepherd and guardian. Living faithfully, use us to help build your kingdom of love here on earth. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Adopt the Attitude

Reading: Philippians 2:5-11

Philippians 2:5 – “Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus.”

Paul begins chapter 2 writing about choosing humility over selfishness. This brings unity and joy to the body of believers in Philippi and also to the world around them. The same is true today. Turning to verse 5, Paul connects this idea to the example set by Jesus Christ. Here we read, “Adopt the attitude that was in Christ Jesus.” In other words: be like Jesus.

Using what is believed to be an early Christian hymn that predates the writing of Philippians, Paul lays out “the attitude of Christ.” Holding more power than anyone before or since, Jesus did not exploit it. Just the opposite: he emptied himself, “taking the form of a slave.” Jesus chose to be a servant to all, not a master over all. Each of us hold some degree of power, whether over many people or just a few. Do we do as Christ did, using our power not to exploit but to lift others up?

Jesus became humble without limits – except in his love. Jesus’ love knew no bounds. His humility led to an absolute obedience to God, driven by his love of God, which ended at the cross. Jesus never sought to glorify self or to draw any attention to self, practicing a piety that was not about self in any way. He sought to serve, to love, to teach and practice forgiveness. Through this example, God “highly honored” Jesus, giving him “the name above all names:” Lord.

Jesus was first in line in heaven, seated at God’s right hand. Coming to earth he stood at the end of the line, thinking of self last. Because of his humble obedience to God, Jesus became the first of many to enter the kingdom of God. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, others, others, others. Serve, serve, serve. Give, give, give. Lift up, lift up, lift up. Forgive, forgive, forgive. Surrender, surrender, surrender. Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love… Amen.