pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: redirect


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Rooted in Belief

Reading: John 6:25-35

John 6:29 – “Jesus replied, ‘This is what God requires, that you believe in him who God sent.'”

Photo credit: Marek Piwnicki

In today’s gospel reading Jesus redirects the peoples’ focus. The day before, this crowd had been part of the miracle known as “the feeding of the 5,000.” They have followed the disciples to Capernaum, hoping to find Jesus there, hoping for more bread. He quickly points out that they missed the work of the divine within the feeding miracle. All they “saw” was the food. Jesus tells them to quit working for that temporal “food” and instead to seek “the food that endures for eternal life.”

We too need to hear these words of Jesus because we often strive after temporal things. Even in our lives of faith, our striving can become like checking boxes. Yup, went to church on Sunday. Read my Bible this week. Check. Prayed for my neighbor in need. Check that one too! Hearing the call to the eternal, the crowd asks Jesus what we can ask: “What must we do?” Jesus’ response is a redirect. It’s not about doing at all. Jesus says to the crowd and to us: “This is what God requires, that you believe in him who God sent.” Faith starts with belief in Jesus and it grows from this foundational place.

Even though Jesus’ direction seems clear to us, the crowd again asks, “What sign will you do…” A million miracles in themselves will not lead to faith. The choice for faith, again, begins with belief in Jesus as the one who is “the bread of life,” the one who satisfies our eternal hungers and thirsts. In time, yes, faith through belief will lead to experiencing God’s power and presence in ways that feel miraculous and will lead to service in the kingdom of God. But faith must always be rooted in our belief in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, we can do easily get caught up in striving after things, in checking boxes to assure ourselves of our progress. Help us to understand that it is not in the doing that “things” happen. Instead, lead us to trust that you alone are the one “doing” the work, even when we are serving you and others. Grounded in our belief in you alone, may our faith in you witness to your powerful presence in our lives and in the world. Amen.


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Our Faithful God

Reading: Lamentations 1:1-6

Lamentations 1:5b – “Certainly the Lord caused her grief because of her many wrongs.”

Lamentations is a vivid and emotional account of the destruction of Jerusalem and her temple at the hands of the Babylonians. Jeremiah is likely the primary author. The prophet worked long and hard trying to call the leaders and the people back into right relationship with God. But they chose to ignore his words of warning, instead choosing to trust in idols and foreign nations. Lamentations primarily deals with the consequences of these sinful choices but also offers hope in God’s love and faithfulness.

Lamentations personifies Jerusalem as a woman, present in the great destruction, sitting in the ruins. In the first verse we read, “She sits alone, the city that was once full of people.” When I first read this line, my brain read “promise” instead of “people.” Then I thought, yes, once Judah relied on and trusted in God’s promises. Their choice to trust in their own power and efforts has led them to become “slaves” sent away into exile. Maybe my brain read it this way because sadly at times this is our choice too. We choose self over God and/or neighbor, becoming a “slave” to our sin, exiling ourselves from God’s presence.

The author believes that Judah’s tears and mourning and grief are the direct result of her sinful behaviors. In verse 5 we read, “Certainly the Lord caused her grief because of her many wrongs.” While we do not subscribe to the ancient Jew’s understanding of faith as “do good, be blessed… do evil, be cursed,” we do experience tears, mourning, and grief at times as the practical outcomes of our sinful and selfish choices. While we do exile ourselves at times, God always remains present. Our faithful God listens to our painful laments while allowing us to be refined and to grow in faith because of our hard lessons. In this we find hope – as the author of Lamentations does as we turn to chapter 3 tomorrow.

Prayer: Lord God, while we are far from perfect, your perfect love never wavers, never fails. While we wander and separate ourselves from you, your steadfast presence is always right there, ready to redirect, to teach, to forgive, to welcome us back into right relationship. Thank you God!! Amen.


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Praise the Lord!

Reading: Psalm 105:1-6 and 16-22

Verse 2: “Sing to God, sing praise to the Lord; tell of all God’s wonderful acts.”

Today’s Psalm encourages us to praise God for all that God has done. The psalmist invites us to sing our thanksgiving to God as we recall the wonders, the miracles, and the judgments. While it is easiest to praise God for the wonders and miracles, it is also good to remember and offer praise for the judgments. In the lives of God’s people and in our lives these hard but necessary moments kept us aligned with or brought us back into living out God’s will and ways.

The Psalm recalls some of the important times when God acted on behalf of the people. These are certainly reasons to praise the Lord. Today, let us also recall our more recent but ancestral experiences that are worthy of praise. Begin with your family and your church(es). When was God faithful? When did God provide a way? How did God intervene on behalf of your church or family? Praise God!

And then take a step closer to home. Think about your own journey of faith to this point. What encounters with God come to mind? When did God draw near to lead or guide or provide? How has God redirected your path or choices? How has God’s presence brought you comfort or peace or grace or redemption? Praise God!

Pause and offer words of thanksgiving – in song or prayer – for all that the Lord has done. Yes, God is good!

Prayer: Lord God, pausing and reflecting I can see how you’ve led and guided in so many ways – both in the story of your people and in the lives of my family and churches. Thank you! And as I stop and look within my journey I can see your fingerprints there too. Again, thank you! Amen.


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Choose Glory

Reading: Ephesians 1: 11-14

Verses 11-12: “In him we were also chosen… in order that we… might be for the praise of his glory”.

Photo credit: Jeremy Perkins

As we continue in Ephesians 1 today Paul begins by stating, “In him we were also chosen”. Other translations say “made heirs”. Paul is reinforcing the idea that we are adopted, made part of the family of God. Although we are created in God’s image, created to be in relationship with God, there still must be a choice made on our behalf. Because of how and why we were created, we have an innate sense of God, a natural desire to connect to God. Yet we still must make an intentional choice to live into and in that relationship.

Paul provides the argument for why the Ephesians (and us) should make that choice. In verse twelve we read, “in order that we… might be for the praise of his glory”. Choosing to live in relationship with God, we bring God the glory. The focus shifts from bringing self glory to bringing God glory. Instead of focusing on the things that falsely elevate self (titles, possessions, popularity…), we focus instead on things that bring God the glory (compassion, kindness, service, generosity…).

Paul also emphasizes that the challenge of living for God’s glory comes with assistance. When we believe, when we choose to enter into relationship with God, we are “marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit”. The continuing presence that Jesus Christ promised becomes a part of us, guiding us, leading us, redirecting us. Again, all of this is for “the praise of his glory”.

We are chosen. We are adopted. We are marked with a seal. We are part of God’s family, redeemed and forgiven. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, you created every single one of us. You created us to be in relationship with you. Use me today to help those on the outside realize the place you have for them. Amen.