pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: Power over


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Worthy with Christ

Reading: Colossians 1:10-14

Colossians 1:10-12 – “We’re praying this so that… being strengthened through his glorious might… you endure everything and have patience, and by giving thanks with joy.”

Photo credit: Diego Gennaro

We back up a bit in Colossians 1 today, looking at the prayer that leads into yesterday’s hymn of praise. The prayer begins with Paul asking God to help those in these churches to “live lives worthy of the Lord.” This is an expression that Paul and other New Testament writers used frequently. It was a call to live like and act like and speak like and treat others like Jesus did. While there was and is an understanding that one could never be exactly like Jesus because he was perfect, the charge was and is to get as close as possible. This idea reminds me of the 90’s, when many aspiring basketball players wanted to play and be like Michael Jordan. Athletes worked hard at emulating the six time NBA champ’s moves, style… Although no one is or was exactly like Christ (or MJ) many have and do walk faithfully in his footsteps, bearing fruit and growing in faith.

Daily faithful living creates a connection with Jesus that becoming sustaining, yielding what Paul prays for. Through the Spirit of Christ within us, we receive strength from Jesus. This strength empowers us to endure and to have patience. When our faith places us in a difficult spot or leads us into a hard situation, we do have to endure at times. In these times, this strength brings us a patience to endure, trusting as God leads and guided according to God’s plans and purposes. When we are faithful, striving to live a life worthy of Jesus’ example and teachings, then his strength helps us through. Often, from the other side of the trial or suffering or…, we can look back and see how God in Christ was at work in our lives. This usually leads to joyfully giving thanks to the one who is faithful and true. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, in our day we don’t face the same persecution and threats that Jesus’ first disciples faced. But our culture, with its focus on power over and on personal gain, creates at least as great of a challenge to faithful living. So Lord we ask for strength and endurance and patience. Help us to be faithful in this secular, selfish world. Amen.


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Practical Atheists

Reading: Psalm 14

Psalm 14:1 – “Fools say in their hearts, There is no God. They are corrupt and do evil things.”

Photo credit: Josh Calabrese

Psalm 14 is a prayer song to God. The psalmist is alarmed by the behavior of the leaders and those aligned with them. Verse 1 sums up the difficult situation: “Fools say in their hearts, There is no God. They are corrupt and do evil things.” For context, in ancient Israel a fool was one without fear and reverence for God. This lack of obedience to God was very evident in how these folks lived their lives. Since the politics leaders were the religious leaders, this practice of unfaithful and even ungodly living was doubly bad. The leaders were living a “practical atheism” – they claimed to follow God’s will and way but there was absolutely no evidence of this in their words or actions.

Some actions and behaviors and words were even in direct opposition to the God revealed in the scriptures. These ungodly leaders were “devouring my people,” taking advantage of the poor and powerless for personal gain. These bad leaders were “humiliating” the plans of the poor, maintaining and even touting the gap between those with and those without. So if you read this Psalm and look at the current treatment of refugees and immigrants, at the “power over” dynamics often on display, and at the general disregard for the common good and think that this Psalm sounds like 2025, I am right there with you. Many of our leaders today are practical atheists.

I also want to be right there with you as I invite us all to look within, to consider when and where and how we live as practical atheists. We do so when we judge or gossip or when we withhold grace and forgiveness. We do so when we ignore the whispers and nudges of the Holy Spirit, turning our backs on the hungry, thirsty, sick… We do so when we see injustice or oppression or abuse… and choose preservation of self over standing with and speaking for the vulnerable, for the least of these. When tempted to these ungodly choices, may we remember what the psalmist proclaimed: God is our refuge. With this faith and trust, may we step forward boldly in faithful action.

Prayer: Lord God, it is easy to point fingers. It is much harder to honestly look within. Guide us, O Lord, to remove the planks in our own eyes before we tackle the specks in other’s eyes. Amen.


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It Will Happen

Reading: Daniel 2:40-45

Daniel 2:44 – “The God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will be indestructible… It will stand firm forever.”

Today’s reading holds Daniel’s interpretation of one part of one of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams. At the start of this dream, Daniel tells the king that his mighty kingdom will fall. In time, the Medes will overthrow Babylon. Then a third kingdom (Persia) will rule for a time. This kingdom too will fall. Starting in verse 40 Daniel begins to prophesy a fourth kingdom, “mighty like iron.”

This fourth kingdom will be powerful and will smash all in its path. But it will also be a divided kingdom. Under Alexander the Great, Greece will rule the known world, including Palestine. Parts of the kingdom will be mighty, remaining loyal to Greece. Other parts will be fragile, turning away from Greece. The fragility will eventually bring down this mighty empire too.

The dream and interpretation suddenly jumps to the time when “The God of heaven will raise up an everlasting kingdom that will be indestructible… It will stand firm forever.” Unlike the Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, and the Romans… God’s kingdom is not of this earth. This eternal kingdom will be built upon “the stone,”one cut “not by hands.” This stone will be a “mighty mountain” and will fill “the entire earth.” The story line has jumped to the time when all things will be made new. In our frame of reference, this will be the time of Jesus Christ’s return.

To later read these words – during the reign of the Greek or Romans or during our present time – these words offer hope. Then and now, as people suffer under “power over” leadership, these words remind us of a kingdom yet to come, of a kingdom of love and grace, of mercy and reconciliation. As we read today, it “will happen in the future.” Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, today there is much division and hate, great fear and suffering. Power is loaded over those who are ‘different’ or are perceived as ‘outsiders.’ In response to this reality, we pray, come, Lord Jesus, come. Be that in your second return or in sending us out to stand for you, may it be so. Amen.