pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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The First of Many

Reading: Romans 8:26-30

Romans 8:29b – “That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters.”

Photo credit: Hans Heiner Buhr

As we begin the Romans 8 reading for this week, Paul offers this: “the Spirit comes to help our weakness.” This help comes in many forms, but today Paul is talking about intercession. The Spirit prays for us when our words don’t come or when they fall short or when they are misguided. At times our situation is so overwhelming or so distressing, we cannot form the words to pray. And some of the time we pray greedy or selfish or spiteful prayers. In all cases the Spirit steps in and prays for us “consistent with God’s will.” Through groans and pleadings, the Spirit intercedes for us, always seeking to conform us to the Son.

These Holy Spirit prayers help us to live as God calls us to live. When we do so, loving God and neighbor, then God “works all things together for good.” This is always God’s intended outcome simply because God is good. Yes, we can foil God’s plans and we can even work against them at times. Yet God is faithful. The Spirit keeps praying for us. And we’re drawn again and again to become who and what God created us to be: a child of God.

To be confirmed to the Son, to be a child of God, this is God’s good plan for us all. This plan was decided before we breathed our first breath. Created in God’s image with the spark of the divine within us, we are invited to step into God’s will for our lives. Doing so, we fulfill God’s purpose: “That way his Son would be the first of many brothers and sisters.” As a brother or sister in Christ, we strive to be righteous in our daily living. In the end, we will be glorified as Christ was glorified. But in the here and now, we also bring glory to God when we reveal Christ to the world. My friends, may it be so!

Prayer: Lord God, we rejoice that you are on our side in so many ways. Attune us to the Spirit’s presence, guiding us to pray as we should pray, to do as we should do, to be as we should be. In all ways, draw us closer and closer to conformity with Christ. And in all things, may we be Christ to the world. Amen.


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Intended and Designed

Readings: Genesis 1:26-31 and 2:1-4

Genesis 1:27 – “God created humanity in God’s own image… male and female God created them.”

Continuing with the first creation story today, we move into God’s three-in-one nature. The words become “let us” and “in our image.” There is cooperation and conversation around this last step of creation in the first story. Like the sea, air, and land creatures, humanity is directed to “be fertile and multiply.” But God adds another role: to take charge of creation. This task must be done as if God we’re doing it. Created in God’s image, we are to care for this world with love, careful thought, and goodness.

After God created humanity, both female and male, in God’s image, God looked at all of creation, not just humanity, and “it was supremely good.” Now that all was as it should be, all parts and components just as God intended and designed them to be, creation was complete and all of it was supremely good. Work finished in “six days,” God rested. Yes, God rested. This too is part of what God intended and designed for all of creation.

Humanity is most like God the rest of the week when we rest and make holy one day out of seven. The Sabbath, our day of rest, is made holy by turning away from work and other cares of this world, instead focusing on our relationship with and connection to the Lord God. As we delve into worship, prayer, meditation, and actual, physical rest on our holy day, we are renewed and re-energized – ready to care for one another and the rest of creation as if God were caring for it. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to be better image-bearers. In the creation story we see you giving again and again, creating a world that was supremely good. Lord, lead us, guide us, direct us to be a part of your plan to return our world and all of creation to one that is supremely good once again. Amen.