pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Lord


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God Can and Will

Readings: Genesis 29:15-28 and Psalm 105:1-6

Verse 2: “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”

Today we pair yesterday’s reading from Genesis 29 with Psalm 105:1-6. By doing so we see a broader picture of God’s love and goodness and faithfulness. The Psalm is a corporate encouragement. It invites all of God’s chosen people to remember what God has done and to praise God: Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” The psalmist invites his readers then and us today to remember the wonders and miracles as well as the judgments of God, connecting all the way back to Abraham and Jacob, two of the greats of the Hebrew faith and story.

Abraham and Jacob were two of many people that God used who were far from perfect. We could include Sarah and Rebekah and Laban in this list. They too were flawed and human, sinful and selfish. When these imperfect people’s stories are read alongside Psalm 105, we are reminded once again that God’s plans and purposes can be and will be accomplished through very human people. That’s good news for you and me!

As we considered Leah and Rachel yesterday, thinking of how their role in God’s story might have affected them, today we recognize that God chose them specifically for this part of God’s story. And we recognize that God continued to work in their lives, long past the place we find them at in Genesis 29.

If God chose and used and blessed men like Jacob and Laban and women like Leah and Rachel, then God definitely can and certainly will choose, use, and bless people like you and me. If you love the Lord and praise God for all that God has done and will do, then there is a place for you in God’s ongoing story. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, I am grateful that you choose anyone to be a part of your story. It reflects your love for all of us – even for those who maybe don’t know you well or even at all when you choose them. The width of your love is amazing! Thank you, Lord. Amen.


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Ever at Work

Reading: Genesis 25:19-28

Verse 23: “Two nations are in your womb… the older will serve the younger.”

Similar to the story of Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah find themselves without children. Rebekah is barren and unable to bring any children into their lives. Sitting on his dad’s knee Isaac must have surely heard the promise of God making Abraham and Sarah into a great nation. And yet no children for Isaac and Rebekah. So Isaac prays to the Lord and God answers. Rebekah becomes pregnant, bearing twins. Almost from the get-go, these twins “jostled each other,” even in the womb. Rebekah asks why. God responds, “Two nations are in your womb… the older will serve the younger.” This also parallels the Ishmael-Isaac story found in Genesis 21.

God is at work in this situation too. Esau, the older, is born hairy and red, a “man of the open country.” Esau is tough and rugged, a skilled hunter. Isaac, the father, favors Esau. Jacob comes out second, already grasping at Esau’s firstborn status. Jacob is an indoorsy kind of person. Rebekah, the mother, takes a liking to him.

The rivalry and favoritism will play out tomorrow in the readings in the weeks to come. Both are evidence of God’s guiding hand, even at work in spite of human decisions and actions. Through the twists and turns and in the hard-to-believe moments, God remains at work, orchestrating, redirecting, leading and guiding, even wrestling. This love of God remains at work, in the world and in our lives. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you hear our cries and you answer our prayers. You lead and guide, you direct and redirect when necessary. Thank you for a love that never gives up on us, even when we don’t walk according to your plan. Thank you for that grace. Amen.


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Choose His Yoke

Reading: Matthew 11:25-30

Verse 25: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Photo credit: Nick Fewings

Our passage for today begins with a prayer for those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Faith requires a simple, childlike faith. It does not need intelligence or power or wealth or anything else of this world. No, it is God’s “good pleasure” to reveal the kingdom of heaven to those who are pure of heart. This heart, one free from the clutter and temptations of this world, this heart is the heart to whom Jesus will choose to reveal God.

Then Jesus issues an invitation to such as these. It aligns with the words of his prayer: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” To those tired out by chasing and chasing after the things of this world, to those bowed low because they’ve tried and tried to do life on their own – come to Jesus and find rest. Jesus invites all to take on his yoke, to lean on him, to learn from him, to grow to become humble and gentle – both with ourselves and with others.

Contrary to what you or others may think, Jesus’ yoke is “easy” and his burden is “light.” The yoke of the religious leaders of his day was heavy and burdensome. The yoke of the world today is heavy and burdensome. Jesus’ yoke is easy and light, but not because it is in and of itself. It is easy and light because Jesus carries most of the weight. He hears our burdens, he shoulders our load. He invited us to walk alongside him. There we find rest for our souls, for our bodies, and for our spirits. Doing so we choose to live in and for God’s kingdom of love. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, when I try once again to go it on my own, the load again becomes heavy and hard to bear solo. Then I feel the burden of trying to do it all myself. Humble me so that I gladly and willingly take on your yoke. There I do find rest for my soul and I find strength for the day. Thank you for the invitation and for the gentle reminder. Amen.


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Abundant Blessings

Reading: Genesis 24:34-38

Verse 38: “Go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.”

In a day and age when we fall in love and court and get married to that very special someone, the story of Isaac and Rebekah might be hard to wrap our heads around. It might feel impersonal. It might feel odd or even icky to seek a spouse from one’s own family. All of this is true. Yet this is not the story of Abraham working everything out. It is the story of God guiding and directing and providing for the continuation of God’s promises to Abraham and Sarah and to you and me.

God continues to be faithful, even when Abraham and Sarah fail to be faithful. God continues to work with their failures and imperfections, working out God’s plan in spite of human-made detours. God’s covenant love flows on, making a connection between Isaac and Rebekah.

Today’s passage is a retelling of the events that just happened. The back story and actual events happen in verses 1-33. We get the recap in today’s verses. The Lord has blessed Abraham abundantly and now has blessed his son Isaac by providing him with a wife. Things unfolded with God’s hand clearly guiding and directing things. This is the culmination of the servant’s oath to “Go to my father’s family and to my own clan, and get a wife for my son.” How could this not be God’s hand at work?

This same covenant love continues to be at work in the world and in our lives. God’s good plans and the fulfillment of God’s promises remain at work, inviting us to be a part of the plans and to partake in the promises. May we choose to walk in covenant love with our God, experiencing God’s abundant blessings as we walk faithfully and obediently.

Prayer: Lord God, I know that you have good plans for those that love you. I know that you have sealed our salvation through the blood of your only son. I know that your love pours out mercy and grace along with provision, guidance, and blessing. Lead me in a faithful and obedient walk day by day as I seek to dwell in your covenant love and in an everlasting relationship with you, my Lord and Savior. Amen.


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Always

Reading: Psalm 13

Verse 6: “I will sing the Lord’s praise, for God has been good to me.”

Photo credit: Daniel Hooper

Returning to Psalm 13 today we are again reminded of a time of suffering and hardship that David writes about. We all have them – both as individuals and as a part of a family, group, organization… In these times we’ve felt alone and we’ve felt abandoned by God – or at least that God is not present in the difficult circumstance. We have walked where David walks. We will likely walk there again. And again.

Last night in our discipleship class we talked about worship. We read Revelation 4-5 and Isaiah 6:1-8 – two visions of worship in heaven. What John and Isaiah see is powerful, reminding us of the majesty and glory of God and the praise and adoration that will occur continually in heaven. We enter spiritually into this place when we enter the sanctuary for worship. The Spirit of God becomes present and draws us into this sacred time with God. We trust and rejoice and sing to the Lord in worship.

We also talked about informal worship. One example was the praise and adoration that can come with a beautiful sunset. There are many other ways that God can touch us in our daily living. Our response can truly be worship. In the Psalm we can see that David praised and worshiped God even in the storm. What if we too choose to do the same in the dark valley and in those times of suffering or pain? It is a powerful witness to our faith when we choose to worship the Lord in these challenging moments. May we, like David, always sing with our lives and praise the Lord with our whole being.

Prayer: Lord God, you are ever present and your love never fails. Even when we feel alone, we know that you are there. In these moments or seasons like David was having, bolster our faith so that we too may sing of your love and care for us, especially in the storm. 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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Praise the Lord!

Reading: Psalm 104:35b – “Praise the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord.”

Today’s reading is short and sweet. It centers on just one thing. So what does it mean or look like to praise the Lord?

The simplest and perhaps most obvious answer is worship. We gather together on a Sunday morning or a Saturday night or whenever to praise and worship the Lord. This formal setting often includes reading and proclaiming the scriptures, songs and/or hymns, prayer, and fellowship. There may be other elements too. These corporate gatherings are a way that we praise the Lord as the community of faith.

Some of these public worship practices are also a part of our personal faith life. In our daily quiet time we often read and meditate on scripture, we pray, and maybe we journal or write about our reflections on the word. In their quiet time some may thank God for their blessings, offer confessions… Each of these are also a means to praise the Lord.

Every time we listen to the Holy Spirit and follow the guidance or respond to the conviction with confession and repentance, we are praising the Lord. Being obedient and faithful to the voice or the nudge is another way that we bring praise to the Lord – by living a life of faith. The Holy Spirit often leads us to action: loving a neighbor, helping one in need, bringing consolation to the grieving… Not only is being the hands and feet of Jesus an act of praise – it invites the other to praise the Lord for what has been done on their behalf.

As we seek to live a life that praises the Lord, in what other ways do you praise the Lord?

Prayer: Lord God, you are ever present in my life. So I ask that you would use me today ever as a means of praise – whether it is me praising you in word or action or if it is these things drawing another to praise you. Amen.


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The Foundation: Love

Reading: John 14:18-21

Verse 20: “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.”

Jesus continues to offer words of reassurance and promise as we press on into the second half of this week’s gospel lesson. Reassuring the disciples that their connection to him, that their relationship with him, will not end in his death. He states, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” While this will not be in the earthly physical sense it will be in a tangible, real, spiritual sense. The presence of the Holy Spirit is something that we can feel, sense, and connect to.

Jesus then says, “You will see me.” As the Spirit works in the hearts and minds of the disciples it will remind them of Jesus. It will bring back memories of his actions and words, bringing guidance, direction, encouragement, strength… In this way, they will see Jesus. Along these lines, because Jesus lives in them, they will in turn live as his hands, feet, words, and actions in the world. No, they will never be orphans. They will forever be connected to Jesus Christ and to the kingdom of God. We too experience this living presence when we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

In verse 20 we read, “On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you.” Indeed so! On the day that the Holy Spirit becomes a part of our lives we realize this indwelling of Christ in us and of us in Christ. In the Biblical story, the disciples will soon experience this as the risen Christ breathes the Holy Spirit upon them. In the last verse, Jesus speaks again and again of love. This is the foundation of our relationship with the Lord and with one another. Each day may we live into this love and may we pour it out into the world.

Prayer: Lord God, your Spirit is a wonderful gift. It connects us 24/7 to you. It is a constant guide and companion. Through the power and presence of your Spirit lead me in love – for you, for others, for the world. Amen.


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Come and Hear!

Reading: Psalm 66:8-20

Verse 16: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what God has done for me.”

The Psalm begins with praise to God for the saving acts experienced during the exodus from Egypt. It was a corporate experience that called for a corporate response. As we turn once again to Psalm 66 today we focus on verses 13-20. Note how the pronouns change to the first person.

Verses 13-15 recount the psalmist’s response to God hearing and answering his prayers. The response here is a fulfillment of “vows my lips promised.” When in a time of deep trouble, the psalmist begged and pleaded with God to save him. And God did. So now the writer keeps his word and offers rams, bulls, and goats. While we do not live in the time when animals were sacrificed it is still good to consider what our response is or will be when God hears and answers our prayers and petitions.

The psalmist offers another response in verse 16: “Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what God has done for me.” He wants to encourage others, to tell them the story of what God did for him. In the context of his day, the faith was kept within the Israelite community. With Jesus this circle was cast wide open. In Mark 16 the commission is to “go into all the world” to tell the story of what the Lord has done. With this added understanding, our call is to invite all people to “come and hear,” to tell others the story of “what God has done for me.” It is a story we both live out and tell with our witness. May we share the good news of Jesus Christ with all people, both in word and in deed.

Prayer: Lord God, you have filled me with stories of faith as you have touched my life again and again, as you have made a way when there seemed no way. Make me a story teller, Lord, sharing with others what you have done for me. Amen.


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Living Stones

Reading: 1st Peter 2:2-8

Verse 5: “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.”

Photo credit: Tyler Milligan

As we look at this week’s reading from 1st Peter 2, Peter begins by addressing their faith. From verse 2 we can glean that many are just beginning their walk of faith. Here he refers to these believers as newborns, encouraging them to “crave pure spiritual milk” so that their faith can grow. He also touches on their love of God. He reminds them that they have “tasted that the Lord is good.” It is a tangible and sure reminder for the hard times that they live in.

Peter names Jesus “the living stone.” He settles on this title because it connects into the words and images used in the Hebrew scriptures to describe the Messiah. Peter quotes from Isaiah 28 and 8 and from Psalm 118, identifying Jesus as the cornerstone, the capstone, the rock. He identifies Jesus as the one who was “chosen” by and is “precious” to God. He then connects these exiled followers of Jesus into all of this by saying, “You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood.” They too are chosen and precious. They too are to be living rocks of faith. All of this applies to us too. We are chosen and precious. We are to be living stones.

Peter calls these followers living as exiles and sojourners in foreign lands to be built into a community of faith and to live as “a holy priesthood.” The community is the necessary source of strength and support, of help and provision, of love and encouragement, of praise and prayer. This community, this family, is essential to them and us being “a royal priesthood.” Without our brothers and sisters in Christ it is really hard to be living stones in this hostile world. So we begin here, with hope and encouragement. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for calling me, for seeing me as precious and as worthy of a place in the family of Christ. Use me as one who ministers to others, helping them too to know that they are chosen and precious, beloved and worthy. Amen.