pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: reform


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Wild Swings

Readings: 2nd Chronicles 17, 2nd Chronicles 18, 2nd Chronicles 19, 2nd Chronicles 20

2nd Chronicles 20:20 – “Trust the LORD your God, and you will stand firm; trust his prophets and succeed!”

Photo credit: Gabriel Valdez

Jehoshaphat is the focus of today’s readings. He succeeds Asa as king of Judah. He is faithful to God, removing the shrines and sacred poles. He sends royal officials along with Levites out into all of the cities to teach the Lord’s instruction scroll to the people. Surrounding kingdoms fear Judah. They bring tribute. Jehoshaphat builds fortresses and storage cities. God is clearly with him and with Judah. And then Jehoshaphat marries into Ahab’s family, creating an alliance.

While in Israel, Ahab invites Jehoshaphat to join him in attacking Aram. Jehoshaphat agrees but wants to consult God first. Ahab gathers his prophets who all say, “Attack!” But Jehoshaphat wants to hear from God. Reluctantly Micaiah is summoned. In the end he predicts death for Ahab. A lying spirit has filled Ahab’s prophets’ mouths. Ahab wears a disguise into battle. A random arrow hits the mark. Ahab does that day.

Returning to Judah, Jehoshaphat is confronted by Jehu. The most pointed question is this: “Why have you loved those who hate the Lord?” There is no good answer to this question. A merciful God yet finds some good in Jehoshaphat. He returns to reforms, personally encouraging the people to turn to God. He appoints judges throughout Judah, enduring that God’s justice will prevail.

The enemy comes against Judah again – a huge army. Afraid, Jehoshaphat declares a fast for all Judah. He turns to God in the temple and prays: God is powerful. This enemy is mighty. We are powerless. Help! The prophet Jahaziel tells them not to be afraid: the battle “belongs to God!” God turns the enemy upon one another. Judah arrived to find only corpses. They gather great plunder and celebrate in Jerusalem, worshipping the Lord God.

Jehoshaphat’s final act is another alliance with Israel. This too ends in disaster. In Jehoshaphat we see a deep and sure trust in God and then wild swings into disobedience. We want to shout, “WHY?” Sadly, the same question can often be asked of us.

Prayer: Lord God, yes, we too can go from “All in for you God!” to “How did I get here?!” with alarming quickness. Lord, continue to work within us, strengthening our spirit, our resolve, our stamina, our trust, our faith. Amen.


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A Consuming Fire

Reading: Exodus 24:12-18

Verse 17: “To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.”

Photo credit: Ricardo Gomez Angel

Returning to Exodus 24 today, Moses goes up the mountain to receive the law and commands. Through these, God is inviting the people into a deeper relationship and into a new way of living. Moving from slavery in Egypt to dwelling as a free and loved people in the Promised Land, the Israelites needed a new framework for life. As they await this, “To the Israelites the glory of the Lord looked like a consuming fire on top of the mountain.”

In our lives as Christians we too have a framework for life. The Bible is an expanded and refined version of the laws and commands that Moses received. The words in the Bible give us guidance and direction for living as the beloved children of God in this world. Jesus is the central figure in the scriptures and provides us a real-life example of how to live out God’s will and God’s ways.

The concept of God being a consuming fire also holds true. As we delve into God’s word and as we allow it to shape and form, to refine and reform us, the fire of the Holy Spirit burns away the chaff – our sins, our selfishness, our fleshy desires… Led and guided by the Spirit, one more image of flame, we become more and more who God created us to be.

Day by day, may you be blessed on your journey.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the framework you give for life – especially the example found in your son Jesus. By his example we have the model for how to love you and one another. Continue to work in me, drawing me closer and closer to who you made me to be. Amen.


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Malleable

Reading: Jeremiah 18:1-4

Verse 4: “The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

Photo credit: Robert Linder

In this week’s passage from Jeremiah, God sends him to the potter’s house. Here Jeremiah received new understanding and a sharper vision. He goes and finds the potter working at the wheel. The wheel turns, making it easier to shape and form the clay. Whatever appeared to be taking shape was not as the potter envisioned. So we read, “The pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.”

One advantage of clay is that it is malleable. Therefore it can be reshaped and reworked over and over again. Standing there watching, Jeremiah realized that the clay represented humanity – himself on a small scale and Israel on the larger scale. You and I are clay too. Unfortunately, we are not always malleable. We don’t always like to be reshapen and reworked.

Jeremiah understood that God was trying to reshape and rework Israel. Their worship of false gods and their pursuit of wealth and power had marred what God had envisioned for Israel. In the same way, when we turn selfish and allow the voices of the world to lead us away from God, we too become marred. Like the potter who is patient with the clay, working it, reshaping it, so too is God patient with us. Life is the spinning wheel that God uses to try and shape us, define us, rework us. But unlike the clay in the potter’s hands, we have the ability to decide, the power to choose whether or not we’ll allow God to touch us, to shape and form us into what God envisions for our lives. How malleable will you be?

Prayer: God, shape me and mold me. Work and gently form me into who and what you want me to be. Help me to surrender those parts of me that mar your plans for me. Amen.


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Being Kingdom Builders

Reading: Matthew 21: 42-46

Verse 43: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit”.

Our section for today opens with Jesus quoting from the Old Testament. This is one of many passages that point towards the Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of these passages. When he says “the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone (or cornerstone)” he is referring to himself. Jesus will be the stone that is the foundation, the stone that holds all things together. The religious leaders fail to see Jesus this way. For them, this is not “marvelous in our eyes”.

Jesus’ quotation from the scriptures leads into a declarative statement: “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce fruit”. The key attribute is producing fruit. Today we mainly call this “making disciples” but it also includes growing deeper in our faith. The task of making disciples, of growing the early church, will fall mostly to fishermen and other ordinary people. It will also be carried out by healed lepers, recovering prostitutes, reformed tax collectors, and the like. They all lack formal training but have first-hand experience with the cornerstone. It is the story that they tell that continues to draw others in. Theirs are the stories of transformed lives and new hearts. They are stories of love and hope, of mercy and forgiveness, of acceptance and welcome. As these stories drew others in, the church grew. Fruit was being produced.

The chief priests and Pharisees know Jesus is referring to them. They are not at work building the kingdom of God. They are about maintaining the status quo and limiting access to only the holy and righteous – the religious elite. Jesus is differentiating himself from the religious elite. The truth he speaks stings and angers them – “they looked for a way to arrest him”.

When we act like these religious leaders – being judgemental, accepting only those like us, keeping our faith to ourselves – then we are standing at odds with Jesus Christ. When we do not love the marginalized and the broken, the hurting and the lost, then we are not practicing the faith that Jesus modeled. To such as these belong the kingdom of God. Therefore, as disciples of Jesus Christ, may we cast open wide the gates and may we help all to enter into God’s love.

Prayer: Lord God, help me to build the kingdom today. Lead me to tear down walls that separate and limit access. Lead me to open doors that feel closed and to shine light onto the path to your love and grace. Enable me to be love lived out in the world, so that in me others see Jesus. Amen.