pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: powerless


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Holding Fast

Reading: Luke 21:12-19

Luke 21:19 – “By holding fast, you will gain your lives.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

Shifting to the second half of this week’s gospel reading, Jesus gets real with the disciples. While these words still have meaning for us today, imagine how differently these words would be heard by readers meeting in secret, praying to avoid these things yet reassured by their Jesus’ words of hope and promise. Think about how these words would be heard in the Sudan, where a small group of Christians were recently arrested during a funeral.

As our passage begins, Jesus declares that “they” will arrest and harass believers, imprisoning some so that they can stand trial. “They” will be the Romans and the Jewish religious leaders. While chances of arrest are low in our nation, harassment and even mild persecution can come our way if we speak up for the vulnerable and the marginalized. People find themselves in these positions because of unjust systems that were created and are perpetuated by those who benefit from them: those in power and those with wealth.

In our time, Jesus’ advice about how to handle oneself if harassed, persecuted, arrested… feels counterintuitive to us. He advises his disciples not to “prepare a defense.” Instead Jesus calls us to faith and trust. He will give us “words and wisdom” so that in this opportunity to witness, “they” will be speechless. God will be glorified. Jesus also shares that these opportunities will not be easy to endure. Some will lose physical life. Yet hear the promise: “By holding fast, you will gain your lives.” Those with the power and means to kill the body (or to abuse or persecute or harass or marginalize) cannot kill the soul. We are God’s and God is with us. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, give us the courage to stand tall and to be courageous in our faith. Grant us the assurance that you will give us the words to speak for and to defend the vulnerable and the marginalized and the powerless and the downtrodden. Placing self between such as these and those with power, we have an opportunity to transform the world and to change its unjust systems. Use us to shape a more just world. Make us willing to count and to pay the cost, all for your praise and glory. Amen.


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Seeking Justice

Reading: Luke 18:1-8

Luke 18:7 – “Won’t God provide justice to his chosen people when they cry out day and night? Will he be slow to help them?”

In our world today one would not have to exert much time or energy to find someone to substitute into the place of the widow in this parable. The brokenness and selfishness and greed of our world makes it too easy to find someone abusing the power that they hold over another, to find someone taking advantage of another for personal gain, to find someone with lots of resources walking above the laws that govern our lives. These are but a few of the many situations that cause people to cry out for justice.

The people who create and perpetuate the injustices of our world tend to be like the judge in our parable – people who are self-centered and only care about personal gain. Justice can be had – at a price or if you walk in their social or economic circles. Doing the right thing instead? Yes, that can come at times when a voice raised will not be quieted or silenced. Or when the people rally together to raise the injustice into the public’s consciousness.

As people of faith, we have a role to play in making our world and our societies just and compassionate places. This is so because our God is a compassionate God of justice. God’s goodness and mercy are bent towards justice, especially for people like the widow – the marginalized and the powerless. As the chosen people, may we cry out to God day and night, seeking a more just world. Doing so, we better align our heart and our actions with the heart and will and way of God.

Prayer: Lord God, use us, your people, to bring about a better, more loving world. Grant us the courage to see and to act when the Spirit moves our hearts towards your heart. Give us the words to speak and the steps to take to end injustices in our world. Make us justice-seekers. Amen.


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“I Will Never Forget…”

Reading: Amos 8:4-7

Amos 8:4 – “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and destroy the poor of the land…”

Photo credit: Nathan Dumlao

Amos was a prophet, likely the first of many to write about the unjust behaviors of Israel’s and Judah’s leaders. He proclaimed that worship without justice was unacceptable to God. Instead of following God’s instructions about sharing with and including the poor in religious festivals that remembered and celebrated God’s loving acts when Israel was freed from slavery and oppression in Egypt, the prosperous and powerful were excluding the poor and needy. Outside of worship those with power mistreated and enslaved the poor. Amos called the people to righteousness and justice – or face God’s judgment.

Turning to our passage from chapter 8, Amos begins with “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and destroy the poor of the land…” These are strong words of warning. Instead of truly worshipping during the sacred festivals, the wealthy and powerful are scheming about how to further exploit the poor and needy. They plan to make the scoop smaller (the ephah) while making the weight heavier (the shekel) to deceive the poor with “false balances.” They can sell less product for a greater profit. As an added bonus for the prosperous, this will make the poor poorer and the needy needier. Soon enough, they think, we can “buy the needy for silver” and “the helpless for sandals.” Through Amos, the Lord says, “Surely I will never forget what they’ve done.”

Today in our land we see cuts to programs that feed the poor and needy alongside tax cuts for the wealthy and powerful. We see politicians wheeling and dealing in “pork barrel politics,” working for personal gain while ignoring needed services to the vulnerable and powerless that live in their districts. In the very same way, the Lord our God says, “Surely I will never forget what they’ve done.”

Prayer: Lord God, your heart is for the vulnerable and powerless. This was clearly evident when you took on flesh and gave us a living example to follow. Raise up our voices for justice, O God, and empower our hands and feet, O Lord, to have a heart like your heart, to serve humbly as Jesus did. 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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Love Them As Yourself

Reading: Leviticus 19:33-37

Leviticus 19:33-34: “When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them… You must love them as yourself.”

Photo credit: Wylly Suhendra

Leviticus 19 is titled “Living as Holy People” in my study Bible. The chapter is centered on the ethics of holiness and love and is grounded in God’s statement found in verse 2: “You must be holy, because I, the Lord your God, am holy.” In verses 33-37, today’s reading, the focus is on how one treats the immigrants living among you.

In the first two verses we see how the ethics of love and holiness should be applied to the immigrants living in the land: “When immigrants live in your land with you, you must not cheat them… You must love them as yourself.” There is a connection here to Israel’s time as slaves in Egypt. This becomes clear in the next verse. There is an element of “remember how poorly you were treated” being connected to “then don’t do that to others.” Our human nature can tempt us to pass mistreatment we’ve known along to those with less power or with less voice because Satan’s lie is that this behavior will somehow make us feel better.

In Egypt there were two sets of weights for the scales. A heavier set required the Israelites to produce more brick, harvest… to meet their work quotas. A lighter set yielded less when they bartered for needed items. Fair treatment is what God is calling Israel to in today’s verses. It is what we are still called to today.

Treating everyone the same is what we are called to do as we practice God’s ethics of love and holy living. We can be tempted to take advantage of or to mistreat those with less power or less voice and this can happen in many ways – economically, socially, politically. When tempted, may we remember the charge to “love them as yourself.”

Prayer: Lord God, help us to be holy as you are holy. Guide us to love others as you love us. May the way we treat the outsider, the powerless, the voiceless, the marginalized reflect how we would hope to be treated if we stood in their shoes. Empower us to stand for justice with compassion. Strengthen us to stand against prejudice and marginalization. Amen.


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Both Places

Reading: Mark 14:66-72

Mark 14:71 – “But he cursed and swore, ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about.'”

We turn from Peter’s bold profession of Jesus as Messiah in yesterday’s reading to his bold denial of even knowing Jesus in today’s reading. To his credit perhaps, Peter followed the action, wanting or needing to see what played out with Jesus. Perhaps Peter still held to his view of Messiah as a king like David. Perhaps he wanted to be an eyewitness to the legions of angels destroying all who opposed Jesus.

It is a servant who first says Peter was with Jesus. He denies it. And he tries to move away from her, going to the outer courtyard. As he does, a rooster crows. Apparently she follows him, saying, “He is one of them.” Peter denies it again. But soon the crowd he’s hanging with also accuse Peter of “being one of them.” His accent gives him away. He’s a Galilean. This time, though, we read, “But he cursed and swore, ‘I don’t know this man you’re talking about.'” The rooster crows a second time, Peter remembers Jesus’ words, and he sobs. (Yes, the rooster crows two times in Mark’s gospel.)

What a sharp contrast we see in Peter. A handful of hours earlier Peter declared, “Even if everyone else stumbles, I won’t.” Yet here in the courtyard Peter swears that he does not know Jesus. Before the Sanhedrin, before the powerful, Jesus declared, “I am,” when asked about his identity. Peter recoils in fear as the powerless servants question his identity as a follower of Jesus. We too will find ourselves in both places – before the powerful and before the powerless. Will we stand for Jesus in both and all places?

Prayer: Lord God, when we find ourselves in environments or around people where we feel fear rising up, remind us of your power and might. We know that while we are in this world we may be impacted by the powers of this world, but ultimately our home is with you. Be with us, strengthen and encourage us for this journey. Amen.


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Truths and Promises

Readings: Psalms 57-59

‭Psalm 58:11 – “Yes, there is a reward for the righteous! Yes, there is a God who judges people on the earth.”

Photo credit: Tyler Milligan

Psalms 57-59 are attributed to David, continuing the run that began with Psalm 51. All three of today’s Psalms contain the phrase “Do not destroy.” in the superscript. Psalms 57 and 59 identify Saul as the cause of the oppression and threats that David faced in these Psalms. In all three Psalms we find a confidence in God and in God’s sense of justice and righteousness. In the end, David trusts these will prevail.

The setting for Psalm 57 is when David fled from Saul, hiding out in the caves in the wilderness. David first seeks mercy and refuge “until destruction passes by.” His desire is to safely ride out this present trial. He is in “the middle of a pack of lions” – a great visual for being surrounded by Saul and his army. Verse 6 perhaps refers to when David cut off the corner of Saul’s robe, sparing his life (1st Samuel 24.) The Psalm closes with an “unwavering heart” that gives God thanks for God’s faithful love that saw David through this trial.

We return to the David-Saul conflict in Psalm 59. David cries out for deliverance from “enemies… evildoers… the bloodthirsty.” They lie in ambush outside of David’s house, waiting to attack. David’s response: “Get up when I cry out to you!” Come and act, God! But David does not wish for their deaths. He wants God to deal with them but also to leave them alive so that they can serve as examples for other traitors. The Psalm closes with singing and shouts of praise to God his shelter and stronghold when David was distraught. This God is our God too. So may we too stand on these truths and promises in our times of trial.

Prayer: Lord God, your faithful love always surrounds us. In the midst of the trial we can forget that you are all around us. Help us to remember that you hedge us in and form a wall of protection around us. Be our strength and stronghold. Be our refuge and fortress. From there, guide us to proclaim your faithful love to all. Amen.


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A Just and Loving World

Readings: Psalms 9-12

‭Psalms 12:5 – “But the LORD says, “Because the poor are oppressed… I’m now standing up. I will provide the help they are gasping for.”

Today, as we read Psalms 9-12, there is an overarching sense that evil has its way in the world, taking advantage of the poor, ignoring or thinking God non-existent. Set against this, there is a hope in God and in God’s ability to bring justice to this world.

Psalm 9 begins with praise and worship of God for God’s “wonderful acts” and for God’s just rule from the throne. The psalmist declares that God is a “safe place” for the oppressed. Then there is a shift in verse 13. This makes it feel like verses 1-12 were groundwork, reminding God of who God has been, hoping that this God will return. The psalmist seeks mercy in his or her time of suffering. There is a parallel desire to see the wicked “go straight to the grave.”

Psalms 10-12 speak of a God who seems far away and of a God who needs to come and act justly. As the psalmist(s) look at the world they see evil and wickedness running rampant. The wicked are arrogant and they oppress the poor and helpless. God’s people feel powerless to act in the face of all of this evil. Sprinkled in amongst belief in God’s ability to act are many requests for God to do just that.

As one looks at our world in 2024, it is much as the world was in Psalms 10-12. Evil seems to be winning. God speaks in 12:5, saying, “Because the poor are oppressed… I’m now standing up. I will provide the help they are gasping for.” May it be so in our time too, O God.

Prayer: Lord God, today we cry out for justice and for an end to evil and oppression in our world. Yes, may it be so, but Lord, remind us of our role too. We are to be peacemakers and to be voices for justice. We are to stand beside the oppressed, looking evil in the eye. Empower us, encourage us, God, to be a part of creating a more just and loving world. Amen.


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Trust in HOPE

2nd Peter 3:12b-15a – “But according to his promise we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness is at home. Therefore, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found by him in peace—pure and faultless. Consider the patience of our Lord to be salvation.”

As we continue in the week’s Epistle reading, Peter draws us to the big picture, to the promise and hope that one day Jesus will return. The community of faith has given up their old ways of life and have taken on Christ. This decision for Christ has not always been easy to live out. There is persecution in many places and there is the constant pull of the world. All of this remains true for those seeking to walk faithfully today.

In verse 13 Peter offers these words: “But according to his promise we are waiting for a new heaven and a new earth.” Jesus himself said that he would return. That is the promise. But within this promise, it can still be a challenge to live faithfully in the here and now. There are times when our faith is challenged by things outside of our control and there are times when we create the difficulty all on our own. Both are often rooted in sin.

Today is the last day for a local institution that cares for those struggling with the issues of poverty and homelessness. They have long lived and ministered to those that Jesus would call “the least of these.” The forces of this world have once again conspired. The closure is not just or right or holy. Last night a few of us gathered outside the building to remember and share stories and to pray for the future. There was a heaviness that remains on my heart today.

Yet even in grief I can choose to trust in hope. In hope for the salvation that Peter writes of today. In hope for those who will be without come Monday. In hope for those who have failed the vulnerable and powerless. In hope for what God might have in store for our community. I choose to trust in hope because in and through Jesus, one day we will all experience a new heaven and a new earth. There will be no more tears, no more hunger, no more hate. There will be a banquet table where all have a place. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, walk with us who grieve today. Whisper your words of love and hope into our hearts again and again today and again in the hard days to come. Wrap your arms of love around us and keep us in your care. Amen.


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Hear the Invitation

Reading: Ezekiel 34:20-24

Verse 22: “I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. I will judge between one sheep and another.”

Continuing with the prophet Ezekiel today he first addresses those who are harming the flock. In verse 20 God declares that there will be judgment of “the fat sheep and the lean sheep.” The fat sheep are bullying the lean sheep. They shove and goad those with less power, less voice, less everything. In New Testament terms, the fat sheep are not loving their neighbors. They are, in fact, doing just the opposite. The rich and powerful are plundering the weak. God promises, though, to save the whole flock – the fat and lean alike.

Yes, God’s promise is to all the sheep. God promises both salvation and rescue. God foretells a time of judgment to come. These gifts from God are for all people. Some have accepted God’s grace and have entered into a personal, saving relationship with the Lord. Others sense God’s presence and can feel God reaching out to them but haven’t yet accepted the invitation. The open invitation remains there today. Our question is this: Who do we know that needs to once again hear the Invitation that Christ offers to all people?

Our Old Testament passage closes with the promise of a new king, of one from the line of David. Ezekiel isn’t speaking of the actual King David – he lived about 400 years before Ezekiel. He is speaking of one who will come from David’s line, from the root of Jesse. Ezekiel is speaking of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is speaking of the hope of all the world, the Messiah.

Prayer: Lord God, you are ever reaching out, ever seeking to walk in relationship with your creation. Thank you for the connection we have, for the relationship that daily guides our living. Use us to help others to know you as Lord and Savior, coming to know the power of salvation and the gift of grace. Amen.