pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: presence


by Leave a comment

Called, Guided, Protected

Reading: Isaiah 50:4-9

Isaiah 50:9a – “Look! The Lord God will help me.”

Turning to Isaiah 50, the prophet describes his work. This section is subtitled “The faithful servant.” As we read these words they are both a description of Isaiah’s ministry and a reminder of who and what we are called to do and be as disciples. This passage is known as the “Third Servant Song.” These three songs all connect to Jesus in the Christian tradition, adding to our call to live out and to share God’s word.

In our passage today the faithful servant begins the day with God. During what we might call “quiet time with God,” the prophet receives God’s word and guidance on how to apply and share it. While this early morning option is my preference too, God is present and available 24/7, ready and willing to “open our ear” anytime and anyplace.

Verses 6-8 reveal the “cost of discipleship.” The prophet experiences attackers and those who insult him and even spit in his face. The word of God is not always well-received. With trust in God – “Look! The Lord God will help me” – Isaiah remained true to his calling. He was determined and unafraid. He knew that the one who “will declare me innocent” was right by his side. This belief and trust allowed and empowered him to walk forward in faith.

If we are being faithful to God’s call upon our lives, we too will likely face rejection and perhaps abuse. It can be tempting to be quiet or to turn from our task. In those moments of temptation, may we first remember that God calls us to witness to our faith. Second, may we remember that God goes with us too, our ever-present guide and protector. May we go forward in faith this day and every day, proclaiming God’s kingdom here on earth.

Prayer: Lord God, each day, as we come to you, fill us with your word, your wisdom, your guidance and direction. As we seek to minister to the world, encourage and strengthen us, especially when we are attacked and rejected. Lead and guide us to joyfully and willingly count the cost of discipleship, knowing that we are serving and glorifying you. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Faithful Love

Reading: Psalm 31:9-16

Psalm 31:10 – “My life is consumed with sadness… Strength fails me because of my suffering.”

Our journey to Palm Sunday begins with David and Psalm 31. These words form a prayer song that seeks refuge in God. I can imagine Jesus praying these words as he lived out his final days here on earth. Verses 1-8 express a hope and a trust in God during a time of testing and trial caused by David’s “enemy.” Turning to verse 9, we see the outcome of this time of difficulty. David has cried so many tears, his vision fails. His body and spirit are right there too. As we recall long seasons of grief and testing, we can relate to how David feels.

David expresses this in verse 10, saying, “My life is consumed with sadness… Strength fails me because of my suffering.” Grief and suffering can be consuming. Like in Ezekiel’s valley, David feels like “dry bones.” The situation is so bad, even his friends avoid him. They “run away” when they see him in the streets. We don’t know why but we can speculate based upon our own experiences. In times of deep grief, people are avoided. Maybe we have felt that and likely we’ve avoided others. Sometimes we’ve been wearied. Sometimes the words to say seem elusive. This makes us or the other feel like David felt: “forgotten… dead… completely out of mind.”

There is a shift that occurs in verse 14. In the middle of this difficult reality, when enemies attack and friends scatter, David turns to the one who is present even then. He declares his trust in God. David gives his future into God’s hands. He asks that God would “Shine your face upon your servant.” In God’s presence David offers a request: “Save me by your faithful love.” It is a love that never fails. Our ever-present God is always with us. In times of trial and suffering, may we turn to the Lord our God, the one whose face always shines, whose love always surrounds us.

Prayer: Lord God, when we feel surrounded by grief and trial, abandoned by friends, remind us of your loving presence. When we are wearied by our sadness or by the suffering of another, give us strength to engage and courage to trust. Turn our hearts and minds to you, surround us with your faithful love, shine your face upon us. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Hope, Peace, Love, Joy

Reading: Psalm 130:7-8

Psalm 130:7 – “Israel, wait for the Lord! Because faithful love… because great compassion is with our God!”

Returning to Psalm 130 today, we hear a call to community as we prepare to join together for worship. This song sung on the way to praise and worship in the temple reminded Israel of their journey together – with God and with one another. As we gather today, let us also remember the blessings of community: support, encouragement, presence, love, help in times of need.

Reflecting back on this week’s readings, we recall how God brings life to dry bones, faith to those lost in despair and hopelessness. We remember that Jesus offers us resurrection and new life, both here and now and one day eternally. And we once again hear the call to live in and by the Spirit, freed from our selfish and sinful nature. We remember because this is the God that we praise and worship today.

Verse 7 of Psalm 130 reminds us that as we journey, as we head to worship, we do so with hope. We read, “Israel, wait for the Lord! Because faithful love… because great compassion is with our God!” Because of God’s faithful love and great compassion, we know hope and peace. We also know forgiveness and redemption through God’s love and compassion. As we journey towards Easter, especially in our times of waiting, may we hold to the hope and peace and to the love and joy that we find in communion with God and with each other. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, as we head to worship today, be that in a sanctuary, on the couch, or anyplace else, draw us deeply into your loving presence. As we gather in community, connect us to one another as we connect to you. In you and in the community of faith, may we find hope and peace, love and joy. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Resurrection – Here and Now

Reading: John 11:17-45

John 11:25 – “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though they die.”

We return to John 11 today. Jesus arrives near Bethany and Lazarus has been dead for four days. Jesus encounters Martha and then Mary outside of town. Both women say the same words to Jesus: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother wouldn’t have died.” Both see Jesus as a healer, as one who could’ve cured their brother’s illness. Later, others in the crowd echo this belief. In this sense, we are like them: we believe that Jesus has the power to change lives.

Martha adds to this statement. She adds, “Even now, I know that whatever you ask God, God will give you.” This statement of faith goes beyond healing lepers and blind men. Martha leans into the possibility of what Jesus could do. As times our faith takes us here too. We don’t see a way, but we trust that Jesus does. We lean into the impossible at times, trusting in a power beyond our imagination and sometimes even beyond our hope.

Mary comes to Jesus, deep in her grief. So deep is her grief, it draws Jesus in. He weeps for her, for Lazarus, for all who mourn. Jesus becomes present in the suffering. We too experience this. The Spirit is there with us in times of need – not healing, not guiding, just being present. Even when we ourselves cannot go beyond the “if only, God…,” God is present to us.

The scene then shifts to the tomb. In response to Martha’s faith and to Mary’s grief, Jesus calls Lazarus back from death. Jesus is the resurrection and life here and now, not just on the last day. This too is the Jesus we know. Again and again we experience resurrection and redemption. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, how we fit into this story and into your story! When we are like Martha, guide us to take that next step of deeper faith. When we are like Mary, be present to us. And when we are spiritually like Lazarus was physically, faith as dead as dead can be, being us new life. This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Know the Lord is God

Reading: Ezekiel 37:7-14

Ezekiel 37:6b – “The Lord proclaims, Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into three dead bodies and let them live.”

Photo credit: Marek Piwnicki

Continuing in Ezekiel 37 today, the prophet speaks as directed and the bones come together. Sinew, flesh, and skin cover them – and they lie strewn all over the valley floor. There was no breath in them, no life. So Ezekiel is instructed to prophesy to the breath. Doing this he declares, “The Lord proclaims, Come from the four winds, breath! Breathe into these dead bodies and let them live.” Just as God had done with Adam and Eve, the breath of God enters this multitude. Given life, they stand, ready for what comes next. In the same way, without the breath of life in us, we are just flesh and bone. Without the Spirit in us, leading and guiding us, we are chasing after death as we pursue the things of this world.

God confirms this fact about Israel. Ezekiel learns that the dry bones represent “the entire house of Israel.” Because of their time in exile, their hope was gone, they feel “completely finished.” And as with the bones, God will not leave them there in a place of despair and hopelessness. God will rescue them from death. God “will put my breath in you, and you will live.” They will be replanted in their own land, becoming fertile again, and then they “will know that I am the Lord.”

We too can wander from our faith. We too can chase and chase after things other than God. Eventually we feel as the Israelites felt: tired, empty, without hope. We feel as if we were once again dust. But even when we aren’t faithful, God is. The Holy Spirit stirs in us, brings our faith back to life, stands us up, readies us to walk again with the Lord our God. This too is how we know that the Lord is God. Thanks be to our God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your love that never lets us go. Thank you for the grace that does not leave us in the dust, wallowing in our pride, greed, envy, lust, and more. Thank you for reviving us with the breath of the Spirit, giving us new life once again. Keep us close to you, O God, breathing deeply of your love and grace. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Possible and Available

Reading: Ezekiel 37:1-6

Ezekiel 37:5 – “The Lord God proclaims to these bones: I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again.”

As we prepare to spend time today and tomorrow in Ezekiel 37, we begin with some framing context and with a few questions. The valley of dry bones, we will learn, represents the nation of Israel’s dead faith. Because of this dead faith, they worshipped false gods, leading to physical death and destruction, followed by 70 years in exile. In light of this, where and how have you and I become disconnected from God? Are there areas of our faith and/or life that are like dry bones? And, how might the breath of God restore life to you and to me?

The opening verses of Ezekiel 37 set the scene. The Spirit brings Ezekiel to a broad valley. As he is led about, he sees that there are “a great many” of these “very dry bones.” An entire nation had been defeated by Babylon. Most died and the survivors were taken away into exile. Despair and hopelessness have grown as the years ticked by. The exiles question the prophets recent words of hope. They desire to return to the land that God once gave them, but…

The Lord’s Spirit asks the prophet if these bones can live. This is a relevant question for Israel, for our nation, perhaps for us as individuals. Ezekiel defers to God. The prophet witnessed the absolute defeat of Israel and he was one of those hauled off into exile. He’s been living in Babylon for many years, speaking to a people who are still far from God. The thought of resurrection feels too big, the idea impossible. So he gives it to God. And God has a plan. God instructs Ezekiel to say, “The Lord God proclaims to these bones: I am about to put breath in you, and you will live again.” This is a statement of faith. God will do this. God will restore and redeem Israel. Then, “You will know that I am the Lord.” How might God be reaching out to restore your relationship with God? How can the Spirit’s breath bring you new life?

Prayer: Lord God, you really can do anything. You are the God of all things, even that which seems impossible. Help us to see and then to trust our dryness and brokenness to you. Remind us once again that because of your great and unconditional love, new life is always possible and available. Deferring to you, lead us to new life as you breathe into our hearts today. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Wait in Hope

Reading: Psalm 130:1-6

Psalm 130:5 – “I hope, Lord. My whole being hopes, and I wait for God’s promise.”

Psalm 130 is one of the Psalms of Ascent. These songs would be sung as people made their way up to Jerusalem for a religious festival or for worship. Jerusalem was built on a hill, so the journey was always up, no matter where one approached from. The psalmist’s emotions match this physical reality. The writer cries out to God “from the depths.”

While we do not know the details of the psalmist’s current trial, we’ve all spent time in the depths. It might have been during a season battling a physical illness or emotional challenge. Maybe it was a time of unwanted change – moving to a new city or going through a divorce. Perhaps is was the time walking with someone toward death. There are many times in life when we cry out to God from our own depths.

The psalmist cries out, “I hope, Lord. My whole being hopes, and I wait for God’s promise.” Sometimes in the darkest valley, in the deepest depth, all that we have is hope. We hope in God’s promises yet remain in the depths. And like the night watch, we wait. We wait for the dawning of God’s love, light, healing, comfort, strength, redemption, rescue. We wait in Hope for the Lord our God. We trust that God is faithful.

Prayer: Lord God, be with us in the depths. In those moments when we’d do anything to escape the pain, the suffering, the hurt… enable us to hope in you and in your promises. As we linger in that moment and with those emotions, empower us to trust in you, to hold onto hope in you. Walk with us in the valley. Transform us as we go. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Leaving Trails

Reading: Psalm 23:4-6

Psalm 23:6a – “Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life.”

Photo credit: Christopher Beloch

Returning to Psalm 23 today, we delve into verses 4-6. In verse 4 we are reminded that the good shepherd of verses 1-3 is also with us in the “darkest valleys” of life. The darkest valleys are many: addiction, depression, death, grief, divorce, forced relocation, loss of employment, friendship, and security, illness, disease, homelessness, poverty, injustice, oppression. These dark valleys are situations and circumstances that we would rather avoid than go through. We’ll try and go around them. We’ll try and pretend that they are not really there. Faced with the reality of the dark valley, we’ll try everything in our power to get through or to climb out. And then, when there’s nothing else to try, we’ll turn to God. Surrendering our fear, loneliness, anxiety… to God, we feel a power and presence that walks with us. We’re not airlifted out of the valley, but God is with us, giving us hope, comfort, peace, strength… in the darkest valleys.

As we experience God’s presence again and again, we trust more and more into our relationship with God. Even when “enemies” – those listed above and more -are right in front of us, we feel safe and blessed by God’s presence. We are not alone. We can declare as David declares, “Yes, goodness and faithful love will pursue me all the days of my life.” Aware of God in deeper and more trusting ways, we come to see that God doesn’t just show up when we really need God. No, God pursues us. All of the time. God fills us with goodness and faithful love – so much so that these blessings overflow out of us, leaving trails of goodness and love behind us as we live as light and love in the world. In this way, God’s goodness and faithful love fill other’s cups too, bringing God’s power and presence into their lives. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your goodness, love, and mercy that draws us to your heart, to your family, and to our place in your house. Draw us into your power and presence again and again, empowering us to truly walk with you all of our days. Walking closely, Lord, use us to be goodness and love in the world, inviting others into your power and presence. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Like a Shepherd with Sheep

Reading: Psalm 23:1-3

Psalm 23:3 – “He [God] guides me in proper paths, for the sake of his good name.”

Psalm 23 is a psalm of trust in God’s love and care. This very well-known passage brings comfort in times of grief or doubt. It offers reassurance in times of worry and stress. It reminds us of God’s good plans and provision in times of need. We begin today with the first few verses, which lean into the metaphor of God as our shepherd.

Verse 1 reminds us that because God is a good shepherd, we lack nothing. This is NOT to say that God gives us everything we want. It is to say that God provides what we need. There is a wide gulf between want and need. We struggle with this difference when greed, envy, selfishness, and more raise their ugly heads. We very much need God’s power and presence to lead us through these inner battles.

In struggles such as these, our God guides us to times and places where we find rest, peace, and stillness. Here we encounter God’s presence. In these moments we are renewed and encouraged. We are prepared and equipped to move forward. Perhaps most importantly, in these moments we are assured that God’s love, care, provision, and protection go with us as a shepherd with sheep.

We read, “He [God] guides me in proper paths, for the sake of his good name” in verse 3. To walk in “proper paths” is to walk with the will and way of God guiding our steps, our words, our actions, our decisions… Walking this way, we witness to God’s presence in our lives. Doing so, we invite others to walk alongside the good shepherd too. In all ways, may our lives bring glory to the Lord our God.

Prayer: Lord God, life is not always easy. It gets harder, though, when we try and go it alone. Break our taught reliance on self. Lead and guide us to trust in you. Give us feet willing to walk the path that you set out for us. Walking this path, use us as light and love, drawing others into a relationship with you. Amen.


by Leave a comment

Hope Grows

Reading: Romans 5:1-5

Romans 5:1b – “We have peace with our God through Jesus Christ.”

In this world of trial and trouble and suffering, we have one in Christ who died for us and walks in Spirit with us every moment. The presence of God in Spirit is something we definitely need. Our world and our nation and often our lives feel full of violence and war, oppression and injustice. While it feels now and then that the evil has left us, our present reality is that it will return in another city, another policy, another scandal, another country, another injustice. Prayers for peace are crescendoing right now.

In Romans 5, Paul declares that because of Jesus’ faithfulness, “We have peace with our God through Jesus Christ.” Because of his sacrifice, Jesus opened the way for us to freely experience grace again and again, reconciling us to God, bringing peace back to that relationship. From this place of peace with God, we can face the “troubles” of this life. Paul states that we can “even take pride” in our problems. In fact, we can rejoice in trials, knowing that our faith is being refined and strengthened. Enduring in faith, God develops our righteous character. This character guides how we interact with, treat, and respond to others in our trials. We are aided and encouraged by the Spirit that has been “poured out in our hearts.” This righteous character and empowering by the Holy Spirit also enables us to walk with others in their troubles, building community.

Enduring faithfully, developing a righteous character, we find that hope blooms. As our steadfast God remains ever present, leading and guiding us by the Holy Spirit, we come to understand our troubles for what they are: temporary. They are confined to this world. Our true home is not in this world. As our companion walks with us, hope grows – for peace in this world and for joy in the life to come. May both be so for you, for me, for us all.

Prayer: Lord God, when the troubles and trials of this life ramp up, may your powerful Holy Spirit guide and lead us faithfully through. Fill us with strength and hope, trust and peace. Relying not on self, draw us deeper and deeper into faith in you. Amen.