pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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A Fire in the Heart

Reading: Jeremiah 17-20

Jeremiah 17:10 – “I, the LORD, probe the heart and discern hidden motives, to give everyone what they deserve, the consequences of their deeds.”

Chapter 17 begins with a condemnation of the sinful. Judah’s sin is “engraved” on their hearts. God will give their land, wealth, and “all that you treasure” to their enemies. They are cursed because they have trusted in human strength. Contrasted to these are the people who trust in and rely on God. They will be like trees planted by the water – ever fruitful. Verse 10 cuts to the heart of the outcome of Judah’s and our choices: “I, the LORD, probe the heart and discern hidden motives, to give everyone what they deserve, the consequences of their deeds.”

In today’s readings we find a few laments from Jeremiah. Often he expresses trust in God and asks for his tormentors to be punished. In chapter 20 his despair is deeper. He regrets being called by God. He ponders quitting. Yet there is “an intense fire in my heart, trapped in my bones.” He knows well his love of God. Yet he is also weary of the abuse, ridicule… He closes this lament cursing the day he was born. It has led to much “suffering and misery.”

We also have two great visuals in today’s readings: the potter and the clay and the clay jar. At the potter’s house, Jeremiah watches the piece become flawed. The potter smashed it down and starts over. God proclaims the power to “dig up, pull down, and destroy”sinful nations. God also claims the power to “build and plant” new nations. It is the people’s choice which they will be. God responds for them rhetorically, saying, “What’s the use?” They have hardened, willful, evil hearts.

God then uses the clay jar as reinforcement. Jeremiah again speaks of their sins and the coming disaster. The siege will be horrific. In desperation they will eat one another’s flesh. He smashes the jar, saying this is what God will do to Judah. He then repeats these words in the temple. The high priest beats and then imprisons Jeremiah. The life of a prophet is not easy.

Prayer: Lord God, we too are called to speak your word and to offer hard truths at times. It is not easy. We can expect to face trials as Jeremiah did. May you become a fire in our hearts, a passion trapped in our bones. Lead us to stand for you and to be a part of your building the kingdom here on earth. Amen.


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Jars of Clay

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 4: 5-12

Verse 6: “For God… made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of… Christ”.

Photo credit: Freestocks

In our passage today Paul works out the idea that we have “this treasure in jars of clay”. Paul is using a metaphor that would have stood out and caught his audience’s attention. Clay jars were common, everywhere. It was the every day container for storing all sorts of things. Clay jars were cheap, easily replaced. So who would put their treasure in a jar of clay? It could be easily smashed, the treasure removed quickly.

In the metaphor we are the jars of clay. Our faith is fragile – easily broken by the cares of this world and by the temptations of the evil one. We are over seven billion strong – commonplace and too often treated as easily replaced. Just as no one would put their valued treasures in clay jars, why in the world would the God of the universe place his treasure in us human beings?

Well, the treasure is not gold or any other temporal, earthly thing of value. The treasure God places in our heart is the Spirit of his Son, Jesus Christ. Paul puts it this way in verse six: “For God… made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of… Christ”. This “all-encompassing power”, this treasure, gives us strength when hard pressed – so we are not crushed. It gives us the wisdom of God when we are perplexed – so that we will not despair. It gives us courage and support when we are persecuted, reminding us that God never abandons us. It keeps hope alive in us when we are struck down, whispering into our heart that nothing in all of creation can destroy our place in God’s family – here or in the time to come. This is but a short list of what the all-surpassing power of God does in our lives.

As we rejoice in what the power of God’s Spirit does in our lives, let us also pause to think of those we know who are jars of clay – perhaps a bit broken, definitely fragile, maybe seen as worthless or commonplace at best. As we think of these, how can this “light of Christ” within us shine into their lives, bringing that same strength, wisdom, courage, support, hope, sense of belonging… that we treasure?

Prayer: Lord God, I am so grateful for your presence in my life. The ways you touch and are present to me make walking a life of faith possible. May your light and love shine out of me, revealing your glory for all to see. Amen.


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We All Sleep

Reading: Matthew 25: 1-13

Verse 5: “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep”.

Today’s and tomorrow’s passage takes place at a wedding. The Jewish wedding of Jesus’ day was different than the weddings we attend today. The ceremony itself would be at the bride’s home. The wedding banquet would be at the bridegroom’s home. In our passage we find the bridesmaids awaiting the groom and his side of the wedding party. They are waiting to parade him into the wedding space with some celebration and excitement. But the bridegroom is delayed, so they wait into the night. We are not sure why he is delayed. One suggestion I read is that the groom and bride’s father could not agree on the bride’s price – another custom that we do not practice in many parts of the world today.

In our passage we learn that some of the bridesmaids are wise and some are foolish. Some were prepared for a lengthy wait and some were not. For some, this was probably not their first wedding. Some brought extra oil in jars and some did not. This fact will have a dramatic affect on both the wise and foolish bridesmaids. The hour gets late. In verse five we read, “The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep”. All ten fell asleep. None stayed awake the whole time. All ten fell asleep.

In terms of our faith, we all fall asleep. Even the most devout Christian has moments or even seasons when they walk in the ways of the world, when they allow anger or pride or some other non-Christian emotion to control their words or actions. Whether just a few minutes or a couple of hourss or a few days or many years, we can all allow or push or choose to lay aside our faith for a time. Sometimes it is almost innocent, like the ten bridesmaids who literally fell asleep. Sometimes it is more planned, more fully considered, more thought through. Sin can be like that.

Then came the call that awakened all ten. Five trimmed their lamps, righted the ship, got back on the narrow path. Five could not. Yes, we’ve all been there – in both scenarios. The Holy Spirit whispers to us, gently nudges us, reminding us of our faith, that treasure in a jar of clay. We return to our walk of faith. But we’ve all also ignored the Holy Spirit conviction and kept on living in sin. We had slept too long and there was no oil to refill our lamps at that point. Today’s story begs two questions for me today. First, when temptation comes, is their sufficient faith to turn sin away? Second, when temptation leads to sin and faith slumbers, will there be enough oil to relight my walk of faith?

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the reminder and for the call to introspection today. Daily discipline is essential to continue on the walk of faith. Keep me diligent. Also needed is a humble spirit and a willing heart. Only then will I hear well the Holy Spirit. Strengthen my faith day by day, Lord, filling my jar with faith each day. Amen.