pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Alive for God

Reading: Romans 6:6-11

Romans 6:11 – “You should also consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Jesus Christ.”

Coming back to Romans 6 today, we go a bit deeper into Paul’s thoughts on our new life in Christ. I love Paul’s word choice for describing the change from old to new self. He writes of our old self being “crucified.” This conveys the magnitude of dying to sin and the power that it can have in our lives. This word speaks of commitment. It also helps us understand the finality of leaving behind “the corpse that has been controlled by sin.” Crucified with Christ, our new self is freed from sin’s power.

Because we are set free from the power of sin, we can fully live a new life in Christ. In the same way that death has no power over Christ, sin holds no eternal power in our lives. Through his sacrifice, the price was paid so that we can be forgiven and restored back into right relationship with God. The power of sin to trap us in the guilt, shame, and regret was broken forever. Because Christ “died to sin once and for all,” forgiveness is always available to us.

Given the ability to be made right with God again and again, we are freed to live for God just as Christ lived for God. In verse 11 we read this great reminder: “You should also consider yourselves dead to sin but alive for God in Jesus Christ.” Since sin has no power in our lives, all of our focus, energy, and love can go to living for Christ – instead of fighting the power of sin. Alive for Christ, we walk in the newness of life, bringing all of the glory to God.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for making a way for us to walk daily with you. Without the sacrifice of your son, we’d be forever lost in our sin. But because of your great love, we can come back into right relationship with you again and again. Each time, O Lord, refine us more and more each time, recreating us each time just a little closer to the image of your son, Jesus. Amen.


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Joy and Laughter

Readings: Genesis 18:9-15 and Genesis 21:1-7

Genesis 21:1 – “The Lord was attentive to Sarah just as he said, and the Lord carried out what he had promised.”

Returning to Genesis 18, the strangers turn to Sarah. One declares that he will return in a year and that then Sarah will have a son. Listening from inside the tent, Sarah first thinks about how “very old” they are. She then thinks about the physical impossibility of it all: she is “no longer menstruating.” Sarah laughs to herself, maybe chuckling a “wouldn’t that be something to see” kind of laugh. She is not laughing at the stranger or even at the impossibility of it all. Sarah has certainly experienced the first kind of laughter – at her and her barrenness. This laughter was probably mixed with ridicule and scorn.

Turning to chapter 21, we read, “The Lord was attentive to Sarah just as he said, and the Lord carried out what he had promised.” God follows through on what God has promised – 25 years ago, a dozen years ago, just last year. Sarah becomes pregnant. Imagine her laughter at each step. Each day, as the baby grew, she probably touched her stomach and laughed. Then Sarah gave birth and held a miracle in her arms. Tears of joy mingled with smiles and more laughter. A son, a gift, in old age, he has to be named “Isaac” – the one who laughs, the one who brings laughter. All along the way, Sarah’s laughter has been shared with others. They too have been drawn into the miracle and gift of God.

This is our God – the one who is attentive to us, the one who brings joy and laughter to our lives. This is our God – the one who keeps promises and has and always will do the impossible. This is our God – the one who brings life when all feels dead, the one who opens doors when there seems to be no way, the one who brings healing to hopeless situations, the one who redeems and restores what is broken. And when these miracles happen in or near to our lives, may we too be filled with a joy that leads to laughter, bursting forth in praise for what the Lord has done.

Prayer: Lord God, when we’ve walked a long, hard road, be it 25 years and what feels like an endless week, remind us of your attentive presence and everlasting promises. Draw us into your love, extend your grace or healing or forgiveness. Fill us with a joy that comes from your work in our lives and in our world. May our joy and laughter and praise be contagious, drawing others into your love. Amen.


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Faithful Suffering

Reading: 1st Peter 5:6-11

1st Peter 5:10 – “The God of all grace, the one who called you into his eternal glory in Jesus Christ, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you.”

Wednesday’s reading from 1st Peter 4 was about the “fiery trials” we face on our walk of faith. Today’s reading is first about how to get through these trials and then is about the end results of staying faithful. Peter offers four steps to help us remain faithful. The first is to “humble yourself under God’s power.” Maybe you’re like me though. My first thought in a time of trial often revolves around how do I get out of this trial, how do I stop the suffering, how do I… But I’m slowly learning that when I do surrender control to God, my time in the trial involves less suffering, less scaring, less hardship. And it always works out better.

We find the second step in verse 7: “Throw all your anxiety into him.” If you’ve followed step one, this step is SO much easier. When I’m trying to do it on my own, I tend to hold onto the anxiety, stress, fear, worry… It’s still about me. But when I place the control in God’s hands, it is much easier and more natural to give up all the anxiety… too.

Verse 8 turns to a reality that we don’t always recognize. Satan is ever “on the prowl,” seeking to tempt us into sin. The whispered lies, the half-truths, the distortions of facts… – just a small sampling of Satan’s bag of tricks. Yes, we certainly need to be clear-headed and alert. This helps us to resist the evil one and to see his temptations.

Peter closes with the outcome of faithful suffering: “The God of all grace, the one who called you into his eternal glory in Jesus Christ, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish you.” The end game is glory in eternal life. The present game is a deeper, more devout walk with the Lord. It is true. You and I have experienced it. Looking back at a trial or time if suffering, we can see how God restored, empowered… This is part of our story of faith. May we learn to tell it well so that others in a similar trial or time of suffering may find hope. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, how we need you! While you are ever-present and all-powerful, the evil one is always right there too, tempting, pulling, trying to separate us from you. Through the power of your Holy Spirit, guide us to humility and surrender. Only then do we stand a chance in these battles. Lead us through, O Lord, refining and restoring, strengthening and empowering us for the next inevitable battle. Thank you for your faithful love and unending grace. Amen.


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Only You, Lord

Reading: Psalm 68:1-10 and 32-35

Psalm 68:9 – “You showered down abundant rain, God; when your inheritance grew weary, you restored it yourself.”

Credit: Rebecca Gelaney

Psalm 68 offers words of hope. Attributed to David, much of the song remembers how God has acted in the past. These words also call for praising God. But when we dig deeper, reading the actual words, we see that the present isn’t very good. In verses 1 and 2 David invites God to show up, to scatter the enemies present, to drive them away now. As a means of trusting that God will show up, David then recalls times when God did show up.

God has been a father to orphans and a defender of widows. God has brought the lonely into community and has set the prisoners free. God has led the people through the wilderness. God has provided for the poor. God has lifted up the nation of Israel before: “You showered down abundant rain, God; when your inheritance grew weary, you restored it yourself.” In all of these ways and more, God has been good and loving. This is what we need to remember too, especially when it feels as if we are surrounded by enemies.

I do not know about you, but for me our world often feels heavy and dark. There is war and violence. There is a prevalent us versus them divide. Chaos and hatred seem to overshadow order and love. Harsh rhetoric has replaced civil conversation and discourse. Under this weight, I long for God to pour down love and grace, healing and wholeness. In this outpouring, the orphans, widows, prisoners, and lost would be blessed. True and full redemption and restoration begins here, on the edges.

The Psalm closes with a call to praise God. David invites us to sing praises to our strong and majestic God. He reminds us that it is God who gives us strength and power. O God, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, oh how we need you. While life feels fine in my little world, I know many are struggling – emotionally, financially, relationally. So, Lord, pour out your presence, your Spirit, your love and grace. Bring healing and wholeness to our society and to our world. Only you, O Lord, can heal the brokenness. Only you can redeem and restore. Amen.


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Forgiveness

Reading: Acts 2:14 and 36-41

Acts 2:38 – “In the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins.”

Returning to Acts 2 today, we read the whole story. Peter first asserts Jesus’ place as God’s creation. He then reminds the crowd that “they” crucified Jesus. The crowd becomes “deeply troubled.” When we see one another this way, I believe our misdeeds have the same effect on us. When I truly see all people as created in the image of God – my wife, my kids, my parents, my co-workers, the stranger on the street, the grumpy neighbor… – it greatly impacts how I treat and am tempted to mistreat them. Seeing all as truly created in the image of God holds me accountable when I “crucify” or speak harshly or… Seeing others as Jesus saw them makes me “deeply troubled” when I sin against someone and, therefore, against God.

The crowd asked Peter what to do. We did once too. We sensed we did something wrong or we damaged a relationship. In time we learned the next steps: confess, repent, live better. We learned to apologize and to commit to better and then to live it out in all of our relationships. Doing so we change hearts and lives – primarily our own. Living as Jesus lived, loving as he loved, we come to receive forgiveness in his name and to extend forgiveness in his name. This restores and reconciles our relationships. As we receive and extend the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, we build the kingdom of God here on earth. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your endless grace that brings forgiveness again and again – a thousand thousands over and over. And thank you teaching us grace too. Help us to practice the grace we receive. Guide us to practice it as you give it – unconditionally and endlessly bringing healing and wholeness to our lives and to our world. Amen.


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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.


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Healing Brokenness

Reading: John 9:1-17

John 9:2 – “Rabbi, who sinned so that he was born blind, this man or his parents?”

Photo credit: Kelly Sikkema

Today’s gospel reading begins with an important question and an even more important answer. The disciples ask Jesus about the root causes of a man’s blindness. It is a question wrapped in that culture’s understanding of disease and illness. Because medicine had not yet provided explanations for blindness, skin disease… the assumption was that sin or some other brokenness in the community caused the illness, disease, plague… To be healed or cured was to be restored to community or for the community to return to wholeness.

In answer to their question, Jesus responds that neither the man nor his parents sinned. It was not a grandparent or great grandparent either. The blindness (and its healing) are an opportunity for “God’s mighty works” to be displayed. Being light to the world and to this particular man, Jesus makes some mud, puts it on the man’s eyes, and sends him to wash in the pool of Siloam (which means “sent.”) The man is healed – he can see. There is some disagreement over the healing. There is concern over when the healing happened. We delve into all of this tomorrow as we press on in John 9.

But today, within the context of the community’s wholeness, we wrestle with the brokenness of our world today. In a world that produces enough food to feed itself many times over, why do many go hungry? What sins cause this? In a nation with the best possible medical care, why do many go untreated? What sin causes this? In a place where there are abundant resources and space, why do we refuse to welcome some in? What sins cause this?

Prayer: Lord God, heal our hearts, heal our nation, heal our world. The sins of some cause many to suffer or to live in scarcity. The desire for the pleasures and riches of this world lead some to turn their backs on the sufferings and injustices of our time. Our own sins of omission result in silence and inaction, allowing evil and darkness to reign. Lord, pour your healing love into our hearts. Use us to engage in healing the brokenness of our world, of our communities, and of our lives. Amen.


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Some Kind of Love

Reading: Romans 5:6-11

Romans 5:8 – “God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”

Turning to the second half of our Romans 5 passage for this week, we are first reminded that “Christ died for ungodly people.” Paul is talking about himself, about me, about you. He reinforces what this means by musing about someone maybe dying for a good person. But for an ungodly one? Certainly not. Yet, “God shows his love for us, because while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” That is some kind of love.

God’s love reached out and continues to reach out to us all of the time. When we’re at our best, God loves us. When we’re at our worst, God loves us. When we’re weak and when we’re strong, God loves us. This love – this steady, unwavering love – is a love that shed the only son’s blood for our sake. Through Jesus’ blood we can be reconciled and saved. Our sins are already covered, our life in eternity already ransomed. Because of God’s actions, we simply are recipients of grace, mercy, forgiveness, peace, joy, and salvation. This is some kind of love.

God is the one who initiated, sustains, and continues to offer reconciliation through Jesus Christ. Even when we were and while we are “enemies,” God sought and seeks to reconcile us, restoring our relationship with the Lord our God. We fall short, we sin, we separate. God lifts us up, forgives us, and restores us. This gracious, abundant, generous love – it is some kind of love.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for loving us no matter what. We tend to be far more selective in how, when, and with whom we love. Break this human tendency and create in us a heart like your heart. Through the power of your love at work in our lives, O God, lead us to love all people with your kind of love – gracious, abundant, generous, steady, unwavering. Amen.


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Grace Unending

Reading: Romans 4:13-17

Romans 4:16 – “The inheritance comes through faith, so that it will be on the basis of grace.”

Turning again to Romans 4 today we read that the promise of God to “inherit the world” did not come through the Law. The Law was not even yet in existence when Abram was declared righteous because of his faith. So for Abraham’s descendants – those Paul was writing to then and to us now – the inheritance also comes through faith. One can work really hard to keep the Law (or to do any number of things that we think are pleasing to God), but we will always ultimately fail, bringing upon ourselves the “wrath” that Paul references in today’s reading.

On the opposite end of the scale, we find God’s grace. This free gift of grace is the “basis” for inheriting God’s promises: forgiveness of sin and eternal life. God does not weigh out our worthiness or keep track of how much good we need to do to settle our account. Salvation is not centered on a contractual relationship. There are no transactions needed between us and God in order for us to inherit the promises. There is a grace that washes away our sins and welcomes us back into connection with God and with one another. There is a transformation that occurs – again and again and again…

Paul speaks of this transformation at the end of our passage. This rebirth, this gift of new life over and over, it occurs when God “gives life to the dead.” Once dead in our sin, grace redeems and restores us to life in Christ. Rooted in God’s unconditional love, grace is unending. For the promises grounded in love and grace, we say, thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, living in this world, it can be easy to slip into doing and trying to earn. It is the way of the world: checklists, comparative analysis, judging, then self-doubt, shame, defeat. Your love offers a different way, a better way. Driven by love, you call and reach out in mercy. Fueled by mercy, your grace draws us back to you again and again. Standing there once again, in your love and grace, it feels like we never left. Thank you for loving us this completely, this unconditionally. How great is your love, O Lord. Amen.


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Answer the Call

Reading: Matthew 5:17-20

Matthew 5:19b – “But whoever keeps these commands and teaches others to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

Turning to verses 17-20 today, Jesus connects being salt and light to fulfilling the words of the Law and the prophets. Jesus came as God in the flesh, as one who would model God’s heart being lived out in the world. In Jesus’ words and actions, we see the depth and breadth of God’s love, mercy, and grace. To get an idea of how Jesus teaches us to fulfill the Law, read the rest of chapter 5.

Returning to today’s reading, Jesus then declares that those who ignore God’s heart and who teach others to do the same, they will be “the lowest in the kingdom of heaven.” Later in our passage, we see that Jesus is speaking of the overtly religious of his day. The Pharisees and legal experts knew the letter of the Law inside out. The living out of the heart of the Law was where they struggled. In the context of yesterday’s reading, they knew what it meant to be salt and light, but they were not being salt and light.

Jesus then proclaims, “But whoever keeps these commands and teaches others to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” To keep the heart of God as one’s guide in all of life, this is our call. We teach best by example. That was Jesus’ model. The Law is centered on love – God’s love for all of us, our love for God, our love for neighbor. It is love that guides us and leads us to be people of mercy, grace, forgiveness, hope, repentance, generosity, justice, humility… This is the righteousness that Jesus describes. It is the righteousness that God calls us to. May we answer the call every day.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to not just be hearers but also doers. Yes, we know we are to love you and to love neighbor. Move us beyond our head knowledge, out into the world. Shape and form us to be people who love practically and tangibly, who practice grace and forgiveness in every opportunity. Use us to restore broken relationships and to redeem unjust practices and systems. In these ways, may your righteousness and glory be revealed to the world. Amen.