pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Begin with God

Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9

Verse 4: “God wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.”

The section that today’s verses come from is titled “Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience.” This title contrasts the 2 choices all of us have to make: the world or God? When we choose to live by the ways of the world, this often leads to sin. When we choose to live by the ways of God, we experience life very differently, even though it is still lived in the world. I believe that the key to this choice lies in verses 4 and 5. In verses 6-9 we see the outcome or results of the commitment encouraged in the first two verses.

In verse 4 Isaiah acknowledges that he has been instructed by God and that he is sustained by the word of God. These two are available to us all. The “how” comes as we continue in verse 4: “God wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed.” If our cell phone or the remote control is the first thing we begin our day with, then we are connecting ourselves to the world. At that point we are already stepping on the treadmill of life before filling ourselves with what really matters. There is no better way to begin one’s day than to turn our ear and heart to God’s voice and to God’s word.

When we begin our day with God, then we are empowered to live out our faith. We, like the prophet, will not back down or hide our face. We will choose to live and speak faithfully, knowing that “the sovereign Lord helps me.” To the world and those that live by the ways of the world, we will say in confidence: “Let us face each other!” With God beside, before, behind, and within us, we can live as children of the light. May it be so for us all this day and every day.

Prayer: Lord God, day by day, as I awaken, draw me first and foremost to you. Fill me with all that you have for me so that I can live fully for you. Strengthen and encourage me when temptation comes. By the power of the Holy Spirit, remind me of the power and truth that I find in you. Amen.


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Healed and Whole

Reading: Psalm 30

Verse 5: “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”

Psalm 30 is a typical Psalm. It displays a range of emotion and a range of connections to God. Scholars believe that David wrote these words after recovering from a grave illness. As we read it we can imagine hearing some of these words from Naaman. They’d be a bit different – he came to know God during his healing.

Our text begins with David rejoicing over God lifting him out of “the depths.” He celebrates God’s healing touch. David offers songs of praise as an expression of his gratitude. In verse 5 he reflects: “Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.” As we know, God’s time isn’t our time. So a “night” can be a season. In these times when we have suffered for multiple nights, we long for the sun to rise again, proverbially speaking. Afflicted for many years with a skin disease, how bright the sun shown for Naaman as he emerged clean and whole again. We too have each experienced times when the sun finally rose, when we felt healed and whole again.

Psalm 30 is David’s expression of these feelings and emotions. We can read these words as encouragement, as hope, as assurance, as light in the darkness. We too are called to remember our “weeping” for a “night” and our “rejoicing” in the “morning.” Remembering, may we seek opportunities to share encouragement, hope, assurance, and light with someone who is in the midst of a dark night.

Prayer: Lord God, use me today to help another walk in the valley. Guide me to share my experience if your presence so that one in need of your love may experience that today. Amen.


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Who Matters Most?

Reading: Mark 1: 29-39

Verse 35: “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up… went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”.

Photo credit: Cathryn Lavery

We are still in chapter one of Mark’s gospel. Much has already happened – John the Baptist prepared the way and baptized Jesus, Jesus is tempted by Satan, the first disciples are called, and then Jesus teaches and drives out a demon. And chapter one is not even over! Each of these events could be a whole chapter. Mark moves along at a quick pace, providing just enough detail for us to follow his story of Jesus. Sometimes life feels like this, doesn’t it? There will be stretches where it feels like we move from one thing to the next to the next…

After all of the busyness of ministry, it is not surprising that we read these words in verse 35: “Very early in the morning… Jesus got up… went off to a solitary place, where he prayed”. Jesus got up when everyone else was sleeping and slipped off to a quiet place. It has been a late night healing many and driving out many demons. Sleeping in would have probably felt good. But Jesus had a deeper need, a spiritual need. Having given much over that last few days he needed to reconnect to God, to be filled up by time with God, to be in conversation with God. Prayer is not meant to be a monologue but an enriching and fulfilling conversation. Considering Jesus’ example, it begs the question: do we follow? Do we take time each day to find our solitary place to connect with the Lord our God? Do we dedicate the time and energy to read and meditate on his word, to consider how God’s word applies to our life? Do we spend some uninterrupted quiet time talking with God each day?

Busyness is one of our greatest challenges on our journey of faith. Saying “no” or “later” to God’s call in big and small ways is so often rooted in our busyness. Listening to a quick podcast or audio devotional while driving to work or school is how many try and wedge in some God time. Uttering a quick prayer walking from the car to the office, school,… suffices for our daily prayer time. Did Jesus just pray as he and the disciples traveled to the next village? It did not matter one bit that the disciples said, “Everyone is looking for you” when they found him. Jesus knew who and what mattered most. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, day by day connect me to you. Day by day meet me in the quiet and dark. Day by day whisper your words of life into my heart and soul. Day by day fill me with more and more of you. Amen.