pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: life


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Great Cost

Reading: Matthew 10:32-39

Verse 38: “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.”

Returning to Matthew 10 today Jesus gets crystal clear concerning the cost of discipleship. He begins by reminding the disciples of the eternal reality: deny me here and I’ll deny you in heaven; acknowledge me here and I’ll acknowledge you in eternity. He’s asking them if they are all in.

In verses 34-37 Jesus directly addresses the cost of discipleship. He starts by telling them that he “did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Faith is a comfort; it is not meant to be comfortable. Jesus challenges us to be more like him, not more like the world. In a world where most people have wealth and possessions and power and status as their gods, to be a follower of Jesus will put us in conflict with family, friends, and neighbors.

Then, in verse 38 Jesus drives it home. Here he says, “Whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me.” To take up one’s cross is to stand against those in power, against those with wealth, against the world’s success standards. In Jesus’ day this was the Romans and the Jewish religious leaders. It was risky, dangerous, costly. That is the path of discipleship.

Jesus closes our passage for today once again speaking of true life. When we find life in this world comfortable, easy, safe – we lose our heavenly connection. But when we are willing to die to the things of this world, we gain true life. It comes with a great cost. May we be willing.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to walk the walk each day. Give me the courage and trust to shed the things of this world, instead putting on your love and grace and mercy and compassion. Use me to invite others into the life that you offer – the beautiful, hard, joyful, challenging life of a follower of Jesus. Amen.


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Praise, Worship

Reading: Psalm 33:1-5

Verse 4: “The word of the Lord is upright, and all God’s work is done in faithfulness.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

Today the psalmist calls us to praise God. We’re called to “sing joyfully” and to “make music” and to “shout for joy.” We are invited to praise and worship God because “the word of the Lord is upright, and all God’s work is done in faithfulness.” While this is most certainly true, it isn’t always easy to live these things out.

Sometimes (or often) life is hard. Bad or sad news about this or that is received. Unwanted change comes. Evil exists and it touches our lives. We battle depression or insecurity or guilt or shame. It is not always easy simply to “praise the Lord.” And yet we are called to do this.

Verses 4 and 5 contain the “how” or the “why.” The psalmist reminds us that God’s word is “faithful and true.” We’re reminded that God is “faithful in all God does.” In the next verses we are reminded of God’s “unfailing love” that fills the earth – especially for “righteousness and justice.” When one begins to accept and stand upon and live into these truths, then praise and worship become possible – no matter what life brings.

God is with us. God is for us. Our brothers and sisters in Christ are with us and for us. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you are with me, you are with us. Your love never fails and it never ends. May righteousness and justice mark our lives, revealing you to others as we live a life of praise and worship. Lead and guide us, O Lord. Amen.


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Credited with Righteousness

Reading: Romans 4:18-25

Verses 20-21: “He did not waver… but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.”

Our passage begins with these words: “Against all hope.” I bet Abraham could have felt that way later in life. At 75 he was called by God. He was faithful and departed Haran, making his way to Canaan. Upon arriving he again heard God’s blessing to be a “father of many nations.” It is 25 years later and Sarah is still barren. Abraham himself was 100. He was certainly in a position where he could have felt it was “against all hope.”

And yet… “He did not waver… but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.” He continued to keep the faith. He continued to choose to believe that God was good and faithful and true. Paul reminds us that his faith grew. When most of us would waver, when most of us would doubt, Abraham doubled down. Because he believed, he gave glory to God. He trusted that God would do what God said would be done. Because of this, Abraham is credited with being righteous.

In verse 23 Paul includes us in this scenario. If we believe in Jesus Christ as Lord of our life, we too will be credited with righteousness. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins and that he was raised from the dead, we will be made right before God. We will be credited with righteousness. This is our promise too. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the great example set by Abraham. His sure and steady faith is a model for us to follow. And thank you for Jesus Christ, the one who died for our sins , the one who opens the way to life eternal. Amen.


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From the Heart

Reading: Romans 4:13-17

Verse 16: “Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring — not only to those who are of the law but also to those who have the faith of Abraham.”

Paul was born and raised a Jew. He grew up under the Law. As he matured he became a student of the Law, rising to the office of Pharisee. In that part of his life, as Saul, he was very zealous for the Law. Saul was a very devout and strict follower of every letter of every law. He understands being a rule follower. Maybe you are a ruler-follower. Most of the time, I am too.

But then Saul met one of the authors of the Law. In a life-transforming encounter, Saul met the resurrected Christ. In Christ Paul learned that, yes, the law is good – unless it trumps love or mercy or grace or forgiveness or… This was hard for Jews to understand. It was hard for most non-Jews to understand. For devout Jews, it was law, law, law. Healing on the Sabbath? No! Eating with sinners so that they could know grace? Absolutely not!

To show that the Law is not necessary for righteousness or salvation, Paul points back to one of the greats of the Jewish faith: to Abraham. As one of the most revered patriarchs, Abraham lived before the Law was given. His faith was based upon a trust in God. His righteousness was from his obedience to God’s voice. Paul is saying to the Jews and to us that following the Law is not the only way to God. The Law, in and of itself, is a good thing, yes. But simply following a set of rules is not a guarantee of salvation. Love and grace and mercy and forgiveness must first flow from the heart – from the heart of God and from our heart. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, even as we seek to understand and follow and apply the Law, help us more so to understand the life and example of Jesus. He demonstrated when love, mercy… needed to trump the Law. Help us to understand and practice this “law” of Christ. Amen.


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Chaos to Beautiful Diversity

Reading: Genesis 1:1-25

Verse 2: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Genesis 1 is a great place to begin the week that culminates in Trinity Sunday. As Disciplines writer Ginger E. Gaines-Cirelli puts it, “In the beginning, a diverse God – Creator, Word, and Spirit – created a diverse world, all interdependent, all profoundly good” (page 184). What a beautiful thought!

Now, the world did not begin this way. Verse 2 establishes the starting point of our world: “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” In the beginning there was a nothingness. It was formless and empty, dark. The deep waters represent the unknown. Because the deep was unknown, it was feared, it was avoided. Chaos and angst lived there.

Chaos and angst are still the parts of life that we avoid or wish we could avoid. Yet “life” happens – death enters unwanted, relationships become strained and break, illness and disease impact us, nature reeks havoc, employment and other decisions that people make affect our lives and families… In these moments we can feel like our world is formless, empty, dark.

As Genesis 1 begins God takes action. The chaos and nothingness are replaced with order and purpose – 2 things we love! As creation unfolds all that God does is good, everything is valued, there is an interconnectedness to all of creation. There is a beautiful yet connected diversity to this world that God created. May we see, appreciate, and love this world, especially one another. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, what an awesome and amazing and beautiful world you created! Thank you for this gift. May we receive it, live in it, love it, and honor all parts of it as all of our world is your creation. Amen.


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Ongoing Creativity

Reading: Psalm 104:24-34

Verse 30: “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.”

Psalm 104 is a celebration of God’s creation. Our passage today begins with “How many are your works, O Lord!... the earth is full of your creations.” Everything that is and everything that has ever been is the outpouring of God’s creativity. Just looking out the window one can see many things created by God. And that collection is just a teeny, tiny fraction of all that God has made.

In our verses today the psalmist focuses on the creatures of the sea. They are indeed “teeming beyond number” – there are some in the depths of the ocean that we have not even discovered yet. That is amazing. Today we are reminded that God gives life and that God takes away breath. All is within God’s control, even our lives. We too are part of God’s creation. Our breath comes from God and is just one way that we connect to the Creator. Like our breath, every time we appreciate God’s handiwork and each time that we are graced by God’s touch – these are reminders that God is ever with us.

In verse 30 the psalmist celebrates God’s ongoing creativity. Here we read, “When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground.” Second by second, moment by moment, day by day, God sends new life through the Spirit. We are daily a part of this process. Thanks be to God our Creator.

Prayer: Lord God, each breath we take is a reminder of your gift of life. Each moment you bless us with is an opportunity to be alive and engaged with you and with all of creation. Thank you for this sacred gift. All praise and glory to you, our Creator. Amen.


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Known Yet Unknown

Reading: Acts 17:22-31

Verse 27: “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

Photo credit: Paul Pastourmatzis

Paul’s witness to the people of Athens begins with a general description of God: created the heavens and earth and everything in it and gives all people “life and breath and everything else.” These two components are almost givens for all people everywhere. Ever since mankind has been trying to make sense of their world they have been crafting creation stories that frame their understanding of the world and their existence. In this sense God’s story is far from unique.

Then, in verse 27, Paul says, “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.” Here Christianity begins to differ significantly from the pagan, native, and polytheistic norms about the god(s) and the people of the earth. In almost all religions or belief systems there is a desire to be close to the divine. But there is a healthy boundary. In most cases this forms a transactional relationship: I’ll sacrifice this animal, you make it rain… Most people groups had many gods – a god of fertility, a god of war… When one needed this, one went to this god. But what Paul is offering and speaking of is something different. Paul is implying that you can have a relationship with this God. One can seek and search and actually find God – because God is close to us. Not far away and distant in the heavens, but close to each of us. Whoa.

And then, once again connecting to the Athenians, Paul quotes from their culture: “For in him we live and move and have our being.” Here too Paul connects their world into an invitation into a personal relationship that God offers to all people. As our passage closes, Paul steps back towards the unknown, back into the mystery. He speaks of Jesus: the one God appointed to judge, the one God raised from the dead. Huh?! The known followed by the unknown. This jars some – it is too much – but it draws others towards more conversation. In these the Holy Spirit is at work.

Prayer: Lord God, you are known in so many ways, often in great depth. And yet so much remains unknown. There is ever so much more to know about you. And in this mystery, you offer to walk with us in a personal and intimate relationship. Even so, we cannot fully describe you. We can tell about parts of you, but our words fall short of the whole. Continue to draw us deeper into you, to be our all in all. Amen.


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Our Only Hope

Reading: John 14:1-6

Verse 1: “Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Photo credit: Tyler Milligan

Since the triumphal entry during the palm parade Jesus has spoken to the disciples about his impending death, Judas’ betrayal, and Peter’s denial. Into this heaviness Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” While we may think this encouragement hard to live out, especially when our lives feel a great heaviness, Jesus goes on to tell us and the disciples why we/they shouldn’t be troubled of heart.

Death, betrayal, denial – they are not the end of the story. They don’t have to be the end of our story either. Oh yes, we can let them be the end, or at least feel like the end. Again Jesus says, “Do not let your hearts be troubled.” There is hope in death, reconciliation in betrayal, and redemption in denial. Jesus first invites us to trust in God and in him. There is a bigger plan at work in all of this heaviness. For and with Jesus, none of these things has the final say. That’s what he’s talking about in verses 2-4. He’s soon on his way to heaven. Once there he prepared a place for you and for me. And, when the time comes, Jesus himself will “take you to be with me.” Death ends in eternal life, in victory. But what of betrayal and denial and all of the other sufferings and trials and hardships that befall us?

Into all of this other heaviness, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” In the midst of it all, Jesus is the way through. Lean on him, trust in him, rely on him. He’ll walk with you through the darkest valley. In moments of temptation or when facing a difficult decision, turn to the truth. Listen to the Holy Spirit, mine the scriptures, pray. He’ll guide and protect, he’ll lead and strengthen. And when you’re hurt by betrayal or some other human shortcoming, look to the model of mercy and forgiveness. Channel what Jesus did on the cross for your sin into that relationship that needs healing and reconciliation. His love will heal all wounds.

Prayer: Lord God, you are our only hope in this life and for the life to come. Thank you for showing us the way and for being the truth. Thank you for all you do for us now in this world. Amen.


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Life to the Full!

Reading: John 10:1-10

Verse 4: “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.”

Photo credit: Daniel Sandvik

The teaching that we read today is Jesus’ further response to what happened in chapter 9. It is the story of the healing of the blind man and the Pharisees’ reaction. At the end of this event the blind man sees Jesus as Lord and professes faith in him while the Pharisees remain spiritually blind, bound up in their strict adherence to the Law. They cannot see how the need for healing could ever supercede the Law.

Today’s illustration shows the difference between living the spirit of the Law and living out the letter of the Law. In one there is love and grace. Jesus declares that those who follow him know his voice. They hear the truths that he preaches… He calls to these and leads them out into the world. And “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” The sheep continue to follow Jesus because they can discern his voice from all the others. By contrast, the Pharisees cannot hear Jesus’ teachings. They are instead trying to climb into the fold by means other than the gate. Instead of hearing the word of God revealed through the teachings and example set by Jesus they’ve turned the Law into an extensive code to follow that has no room for things like healing on the Sabbath. Those who use religion as power are they who “come only to steal and kill and destroy.”

What Jesus offers is radically different. He invites people to live a life of faith, found through entering a relationship with him. He proclaims that these “will be saved.” As wonderful as that is, the offer isn’t just a way into heaven. It’s not about strict adherence to a code of Law that leaves one devoid of love and grace. No, Jesus states, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” A life filled with love and grace and blessing. This thought evokes the overflow of abundance found in the 23rd Psalm. Life to the full! Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, open my eyes to see all that you place before me. Open my ears to hear all that you have to share with me. Open my heart to respond to you and others in love and grace as I seek to serve you alone today. Amen.


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The Path of Life

Reading: Psalm 16:7-11

Verse 8: “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

Our passage today begins as yesterday’s began, with praise to the Lord. David celebrates God’s presence in his life just as Peter did. In verse 8 David writes, “I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.” Here he expresses that faith is a choice. David chooses to receive counsel and instruction from God day after day. He chooses to keep God front and center – “always before me.” Because David chooses God again and again, his faith is assured and strong. He trusts that God will always be there for him.

David rejoices again in the next verses. His “heart is glad” and he knows God’s protection is his: “my body also will rest secure.” For David, his faith is holistic – mind, body, and soul. David’s faith involves all of his life, both in the present and in the future. Mirroring the inheritance that we read about yesterday, David rejoices that the Lord has “made known the path of life” and filled him “with joy in your presence” now and “with eternal pleasures” that are sure to come one day. His faith is not just holistic, it is total and complete. David practices a faith that rests on the Lord’s presence here and now and it trusts into God’s eternal promises for his future.

The God that David connected to, walked daily with, and trusted with all of his being is the same God that seeks to be in the same relationship with you and with me and with all people. Setting the Lord ever before us, we will not be shaken. May we choose the path of life, rejoicing daily in the living hope that comes through faith in the Lord.

Prayer: Lord God, draw me to you morning by morning, keeping me ever before you. Fill me daily with your presence, growing my faith and trust day by day. Turn me to you in all circumstances, for there I can stand secure and strong. Amen.