pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Our Intercessor

Reading: Exodus 32:7-14

Exodus 32:10 – “Now leave me alone! Let my fury burn and devour them.”

Exodus 32 begins with Moses and Joshua already up on the mountain, speaking with God. They are up there a long time – apparently too long. An impatient people decide that they need something new to follow and worship. A gold bull calf is fashioned. An altar is made. The image is worshipped. Before moving to today’s reading, let us ponder how often we either get impatient with God and take matters into our own hands or… how often we worship things other than the Lord our God.

In verse 7 God instructs Moses to “Hurry up,” to return to “Your people” because they are “ruining everything.” God recounts to Moses the making of and worship of an idol. God is very upset with this “stubborn people.” God then says to Moses, “Now leave me alone! Let my fury burn and devour them.” God is ready to simply wipe the Israelites off the face of the earth. God will just start over with Moses. Referring back to our earlier pondering, I wonder, how often does God get to this same place with us? Collectively we must regularly tempt God to just burn it down in order to start over.

What happens next is amazing. Moses intercedes on behalf of God’s “own people.” Moses tells God to calm down, to change God’s mind, to remember the covenant promises. And God does. Moses had walked long enough with these people to understand their struggles with being faithful 100% of the time. The good news for you and for me? Jesus – God in the flesh – walked long enough with humanity to truly understand our struggles. Just as Moses did, the risen Christ intercedes for you and for me, standing between us and God, pleading our case. Thanks be to God for Jesus Christ, our intercessor and friend.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for you day to day patience and for your unconditional love. We are so imperfect. We must push your buttons regularly, like a difficult two-year-old with a very tired parent. We rejoice in Jesus, our intercessor before you. We thank you too for the Holy Spirit, our indwelling friend who helps us in our walk with you. And, God, thank you for your saving grace and unending mercy. You are a most awesome God. Amen.


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Choices and Actions

Reading: Obadiah 12-15

Obadiah 15: “The day of the Lord is near… As you have done, so it will be done to you.”

Obadiah’s short, one chapter letter takes aim at Edom, Israel’s neighbor to the southeast. Israel and Edom are connected. Jacob and Esau are the beginning seeds of these two groups of people. The tension that existed between the brothers has remained a part of the relationship between these two nations. As Obadiah writes, Jerusalem (and Judah) has just fallen to Babylon’s army.

Have you even been in a situation where someone you disliked or didn’t get along with was “getting their due?” The bully has fallen or the dishonest one has been revealed. Whatever the case, it can be tempting to join in – maybe with a judgmental comment, a stinging barb, or even worse, with some verbal or physical abuse. It can be tempting.

As Israel was falling to Babylon, Edom jumped in. They “took pleasure” over Israel’s downfall, rejoicing over their misery. Edom entered the defeated city and “stole possessions.” The Edomites “waited on the roads to destroy escapees” – those lucky enough to escape Babylon’s attack. Edom killed some and handed others back over to Babylon. Edom fell to the temptation to “get even.” Big time.

Obadiah speaks a word of God’s judgment against Edom, saying, “The day of the Lord is near… As you have done, so it will be done to you.” God has taken note of how Edom treated Israel in its time of need. They slapped the hand just barely above the surface of the water instead of reaching out to help. One day these choices will bring similar suffering to Edom. So it will be when we allow pride and envy to dictate our choices and actions.

Prayer: Lord God, instead of thoughts of judgement and revenge, fill our hearts and minds with thoughts of empathy and compassion. When the temptation rises to “take our opportunity” or to pile on, move us instead to offer healing and comfort. May your love for us be reflected in our love for all people, even those hardest to love. 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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Faith Always

Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Deuteronomy 6:6 – “These words that I am commanding you today must always be on your minds.”

Photo credit: Milo Weiler

Today’s verses begin with a call to attention: Listen! This is followed by the ‘great commandment’ to love God with all of one’s “heart… being… strength.” The words of reminder that we read today are set within the giving of the Law. The Ten Commandments and the rest of the Law were given to govern all aspects of the personal and social lives of the Israelites. Many years later, as he worked out the core tenets and practices of Methodism, John Wesley would call these two ‘sides’ of our faith personal and social holiness.

In verse 6 we feel the completeness of the call to love God: “These words that I am commanding you today must always be on your minds.” As implied in the great commandment, faith is to guide all areas of our lives. Faith is not just part of our life, lifting up a prayer now and then, loving God or neighbor when it is convenient… Faith is to be lived out 24/7, to be “always” on our minds and in our hearts.

‘How’ we do this is unpacked in verses 7-9. We are to teach the way of faith to our children. We are to talk about our faith when we get up, when we lie down, and in between. We are to write key verses here and there. Today we do so with sticky notes, bookmarks, posters, wall art, mugs… All are ways to remind ourselves to live out our faith always.

Why is all of this necessary? To be honest, we by nature are selfish and inwardly focused. Left on our own or even practicing a sometimes faith, things like greed, power, jealousy, control, lust… begin to guide our lives. In this constant battle we need reminders of who and what we are called to be: people who live God with all that we are.

Prayer: Lord God, when we become tempted, whisper your love into our heart. When the temptation leads to sin, pour your grace, mercy, and forgiveness over us. In our daily lives, Lord, remind us again and again of your truths and if your call to walk in your ways. Amen.


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God/World

Reading: Mark 8:27-33

Mark 8:33 – “You are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts.”

Chapter 8 is about the halfway point of Mark’s gospel. In Mark’s 16 chapters, he covers the three years of Jesus’ ministry. There is no birth story or Jesus in the temple as a teenager. This short gospel begins with John the Baptist already baptizing in the wilderness. Chapter 1 through part of chapter 8 covers the first 155 weeks of Jesus’ ministry (+/- a week or so.) Mark 8:27 through chapter 16 cover the last week of Jesus’ ministry, known as the passion of Christ.

As Jesus turns toward Jerusalem and the cross he asks for an evaluation of sorts: “Who do people say that I am?” Generally, the people believe that he is a prophet. He is seen by many as one sent by God, speaking on behalf of God. They are partly correct. Wanting to go deeper, Jesus asks, “And what about you? Who do you say that I am?” This is a question we could and should ask ourselves regularly.

Peter responds, “You are the Christ.” We want to give Peter props for his answer identifying Jesus as the Messiah. But as we read on, we see that Peter’s understanding of Jesus (at this point) is not our understanding of Jesus. After Jesus shares what the passion of the Christ will look like, Peter scolds him. The suffering, trial, death… does NOT match Peter’s definition of a Messiah. Jesus’ response is swift and cutting: “Get behind me Satan.” Perhaps Jesus is thinking of when Satan tempted him in the wilderness, dangling human desires before him. Is Peter’s vision tempting to Jesus at this point?

Continuing on, Jesus adds, “You are not thinking God’s thoughts but human thoughts.” Peter and likely the other disciples cannot see beyond themselves right now. At times, we too struggle with this. Our selfish and sinful nature is ever at odds with the divine within us. May the Holy Spirit ever whisper and nudge (and convict) us to choose God over the world.

Prayer: Lord God, at times we can be like Peter, thinking not if you and your purposes. Our thoughts can turn to self and to our wants. We can be quite selfish. In those frequent moments, remind us of who Christ truly is – humble servant, gentle good shepherd, redeemer, salvation. Draw us back into obedience to your will and way. Thank you, Lord. Amen.


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Good and Wise

Readings: Numbers 31:13-18 and Deuteronomy 20:16-18

Numbers 31:16 – “These women, on Balaam’s advice, made the Israelites break faith with the Lord.”

Leading into today’s reading from Numbers, God instructs Moses to “take just reparations” against the Midianites. In the battle the Israelites kill all the adult names and burn the cities. The soldiers take the women, children, animals, and valuable property as the spoils of war. These were the “normal” practices of war. Yet Moses is very angry. He asks why the leaders allowed the women to live, asking, “These women, on Balaam’s advice, made the Israelites break faith with the Lord.” Moses understands the danger of outside influences. These women caused sin to occur amongst the Israelites before. Only the young virgin girls are spared.

Turning to Deuteronomy 20, God instructs Moses in the “rules for warfare.” Our passage today applies specifically to the conquest of the Promised Land. Here we read, “You must not spare any living thing.” These cities fall under the ban. In this holy war all must be killed. Reading on we see why it must be so. All must die so that “they can’t teach you to do all the detestable things” that would lead to Israel “sinning against God.” Early on in their history the Israelites were not secure in who they were as God’s people. They were easily influenced by the people around them. It was necessary at this time to insulate them from the negative and harmful influences of the world. The solution was to remove all possible temptation.

While we do not annihilate those who could tempt us to sin, we do at times avoid them, especially as a young, immature Christian. In principle and when necessary, we ban things from our lives that can lead us into sin. This is a good and wise choice.

Prayer: Lord God, when our walk with you is at stake, help us to make wise and good choices. With your strength and will empower us to say no to the things, places, people, and emotions that can tempt us and lead us into sin. As we do, may we grow in our faith and in our relationship with you. Amen.


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Mercy and Grace Persist

Reading: Genesis 3

Genesis 3:9 – “The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God.”

Photo credit: Felipe Correia

Continuing on from chapter 2, where we saw God’s desire to care for, to provide for to be in relationship with humanity, today we read of temptation and sin and of the broken relationships these evils produce. The snake, long identified with Satan, “tricks” the woman and man into eating from one of the forbidden trees. The woman initially resists, but the snake persists. Using a half-truth the snake tempts the man and woman enough. They both eat and they see their nakedness. Their initial shame leads them to cover this condition.

Later the man and woman hear God walking in the garden. In verse 8 we read, “The man and his wife hid themselves from the Lord God.” Their continuing shame leads them to try to hide from God. Yet God calls out. Death could have come the moment they ate the forbidden fruit. But here our God of mercy and grace calls out. Yes, there are consequences to their sin, as there often are in our lives. Yet God is right there, fully present to the man and woman. Death will come, eventually, as they are sent out of the garden, seemingly forever away from the tree of life – the tree that would allow them to live forever.

This rebellion in the garden is just the first of many. Countless sins have led to countless breaches in our relationship with God. And equally countless offerings of mercy and grace have reconciled these breaches. This struggle with sin is and will be our reality. The struggle, as John Wesley wrote, “will continue while there is a godly man on this side of heaven, and a wicked man on this side of hell.” Grace and mercy will likewise persist and will eventually triumph on the final day. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, it can be easy to read this chapter and to look down on, to judge, to compare. And there sin is again, knocking on the door of our heart. Help us to see ourselves fully present in this story, in the struggle. There we recognize and appreciate and ready ourselves to receive the grace and mercy we so often need. Thank you, Lord, for always having more mercy and grace. Amen.


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Faithful Activity

Reading: James 1-2

James 2:14 – “My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it?”

Today we begin the book of James. James advocates an active, world-engaging, lived out faith. To live this way, while “scattered” to the world, is indeed a great challenge. These words from James that we read today and tomorrow very much apply to our lives and world right now. As “resident aliens” it is easier to write a check than it is to show up. It eases one’s conscience to say, “It’s the pastor’s job.” Yes, a time comes in life when it is not possible to physically show up. And, yes, some “jobs” are the pastor’s. But to shelter one’s faith from the world and vice versa, well, better read and study James.

Chapter 1 from James deals with standing firm in our faith. James begins by encouraging us to think of moments of testing as “occasions for joy.” These moments produce endurance, which yields a mature faith. In times of trial, we are invited to turn to God for wisdom. Trusting in God, we will receive. This is because God is good and faithful. Such a God will not tempt us. No, James says, that comes from within ourselves. God only gives good things. The pinnacle of this is the word of God. The word has the power to make us slow to anger, slow to speak, and quick to listen. It gives us power over our tongues. (More on that in chapter 3.)

In chapter 2 James encourages us to show faith, not favoritism. Favoritism is “evil-minded.” It is judgmental. It denies mercy. Instead, James advises, put your faith into action, like Abraham and Rahab. James asks, “My brothers and sisters, what good is it if people say they have faith but do nothing to show it?” That is a great question. Yes, belief in God is good. But, we are reminded, “Even the demons believe this.” To wish well for a brother or sister who is naked or hungry without actually meeting their needs? James: “Faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.”

Prayer: Lord God, it is so much easier to just fly under the radar, to just think someone else will do it. It is so much harder to stand firm, to stand up, to show up. Faith isn’t supposed to be easy or convenient, is it God? Empower, equip, and encourage us, O Lord, to be doers of the word and not merely hearers. Amen.


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To See, To Hear, To Be Touched

Reading: Matthew 3-4

Matthew 4:21-22 – “Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”

The ministry of John the Baptist begins today’s readings. He announces, “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of God!” His work fulfills the words of Isaiah and his words and dress and diet remind people of Elijah. Many came, confessed their sins, and were baptized. John clashes with the religious leaders, challenging them to change their hearts and lives. Ancestry won’t save them. It will be the one stronger than John, the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire – he will offer salvation to the people.

Jesus then comes to be baptized. John tries to stop him but ultimately relents. After Jesus’ baptism the heavens open and the Spirit comes to rest on him. God declares love for the Son. From here Jesus is led into the wilderness to be tempted. The devil and Jesus quote from Deuteronomy, Isaiah, and Psalms. God’s word will be Jesus’ bread. He will trust and not test God. He will worship and serve God alone. Defeated, the devil leaves.

John is arrested. This precipitates Jesus returning to Galilee (to Capernaum) and to begin his ministry. He proclaims the same message as John: “Change your hearts and lives! Here comes the kingdom of God!” He begins to build his team, calling Simon and Andrew, then James and John as he walks along the Sea of Galilee. It was a simple call: “Follow me.” And they did. In verses 21-22 we read, “Jesus called them and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.” Jesus’ ministry grows as he teaches in the synagogues and heals every disease and ailment. Large crowds begin to follow this teacher and miracle worker. They came from all over to see and to hear and to be touched by Jesus.

Prayer: Lord God, what a call John and Jesus both led with. The call continues to ring out today: change your heart, change your life, follow me. Each day may we hear this call and may we respond, seeking to be Christ’s hands, feet, heart, and love to the world. Amen.


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Path of Righteousness

Reading: Proverbs 16

‭Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride comes before disaster, and arrogance before a fall.”

Photo credit: Nadine Shaabana

Today’s reading contains mostly examples of how to live in alignment with God’s will and way. Verses 1 and 9 summarize this idea well. In these verses we are reminded that although we plan our path using our hearts, it is God who answers our plans and who secures our plans/path. The sage reminds us that God “tests our motives” too. Are our plans and the desires of our hearts pure? Are they aligned with God’s heart?

Many of today’s verses speak to answering this question. If we commit our work (and our lives) to God, then our plans will succeed. If we see and work towards God’s purposes, if we walk the right and good road, then God will be glorified. If we seek wisdom, then we will have insightful speech and can offer enhanced teaching. Verse 31 reminds us that we’re long-term projects: “Gray hair is a crown of glory.” Eventually this is found “on the path of righteousness.”

There’s a bit of practical advice in today’s verses. Honest scales and balances are God’s way. Integrity and honesty matter in God’s world. Therefore, “better a little with righteousness than great profits without justice.”

And there are warnings today too. It is important to remember the outcomes of wicked or evil choices. The Lord “detests” arrogance and pride, evil deeds, and slanderous and gossipy speech. All of these behaviors run against God’s will and way and against God’s plans and purposes for our world and for our lives. Yet these sins are ever before us, tempting us to walk the world’s path. With God’s strength and presence, may we instead choose to walk the path of righteousness. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Lord God, it is so easy, so tempting, so alluring to simply choose the way and path of the world. So, God, pour out your Spirit’s wisdom and power, enabling us to choose your path of righteousness. Amen.