pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: wholeness


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Steadfast Presence

Reading: Jeremiah 31:7-9

Jeremiah 31:9 – “With tears of joy they will come… I will lead them by quiet streams and on smooth paths so they don’t stumble.”

Photo credit: Lili Popper

Jeremiah proclaims a glorious future for the people of God in chapter 31. We pick up today in verse 7, where the prophet calls on the “remaining few” to sing with joy because God will save them. Speaking to those scattered during the time of exile, God declares that they will be brought back “from the ends of the earth.” For a nation living in exile, grieving all that has been lost, sorrowful over their present but seemingly unchangeable reality, the promise of God acting to redeem and restore them offered great hope.

Life will make us feel like the exiles felt. At times we will grieve – over the loss of a loved one or a career, over the ending of a relationship, over the changes caused by aging… We feel scattered and often all alone during these seasons. It is good to be reminded that God’s plan is to save us, to restore us, to redeem us, to bring healing and wholeness back to our lives.

Turning to verses 8b and 9, we see that God will bring back all of the people of God, including the blind, the disabled, the pregnant… By naming those on the margins and those who are most vulnerable, by including them specifically, God is emphasizing that “all” means ALL. This is good news for the “least of these” and it is for us when we feel this way too. Tears of joy and prayers of thanksgiving will both flow freely. God “will lead them by quiet streams and on smooth paths so they don’t stumble.” God will guide the way, making the return peaceful and safe, two essentials when healing from grief and loss. God will comfort Israel as a parent comforts a child. In our seasons of need, God will bring us peace and safety, comfort and healing too. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, we rejoice in your steadfast presence in the past, with us now, and in the future. Your love never fails. Your mercy and compassion always meet us in our times of need. Your grace brings us peace. Your strength lifts us up and guides our journey. Thank you for being with us always, especially in our times of grief and sorrow. Amen.


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Light and Love

Reading: John 1:1-14

John 1:5 – “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.”

On Christmas Eve day we turn to John 1. While not a birth story in the sense of Matthew 1:18-25 or Luke 2:1-20, our reading today is very much a “birth” story – the birth of our world, the birth of light, the birth of welcome and belief, the birth of God in the flesh, the birth of glory, “full of grace and truth.” Throughout the passage, John uses the image of light again and again. This light is Jesus Christ, God in the flesh.

Each time I read and study and meditate on this passage, something new is learned, applied, realized. This is often the case when we return to a passage. God’s word is alive and active. It meets us where we are at and takes us where we need to go each time we engage a passage. Today as I read and reread these verses, this one stood out: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness doesn’t extinguish the light.” My first thought centered on the idea that the light enters the darkness, pushing it away, so to speak. My second thought focused on the idea that light goes as far as its power allows it to go. A small light like a candle will light up a small space. A big light like our sun will light up whole worlds. The light of Christ can make the sun seem like a candle. The light of Christ will shine everywhere and forever, if we allow it to do so.

In today’s Disciplines devotional, Rev. Dr. Dottie Escobar-Frank shared these words: “The true light shines into our hidden spaces, our dirty places, our wounded spots, and illuminates them so that healing and wholesome can be ours.” Christ’s light will shine into our souls, if we allow it in. Christ’s love will make us whole again, if we allow it in. May we say again and again, ‘Come, Lord Jesus, come.’ May it be so. Shine your light and love deep into our hearts and lives.

Prayer: Lord God, so much of who we are desires to walk always with you. This is who you created us to be. The Spirit always leads and guided us in this desire. But the darkness is ever there, too, ready to seep back in. So, Lord, we ask you to fill us with your light and love. Filled, the darkness is held at bay. Thank you, God. Amen.


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Jesus Offers, Invites

Reading: Matthew 11:2-6

Matthew 11:3 – “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”

By the time Matthew’s gospel reaches chapter 11, Jesus has given the Sermon on the Mount, has healed many people, has calmed a literal storm, has gathered the twelve disciples, and has begun training them to carry on his ministry of healing and wholeness. During this time, John the Baptist’s ministry has diminished and he now finds himself in prison, having angered King Herod. Searching for hope, John sends his own disciples to ask Jesus, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” From his prison cell, it must not feel like the kingdom of God is what he’d hoped it would be.

Presenting evidence of what the kingdom of God looks like here on earth, Jesus mostly quotes from Isaiah 35 and 61, adding a few of his own words too. Jesus is reminding John of how the Old Testament prophets described the Messiah and his kingdom. Healing and wholeness, fullness of life, deep relationships and community, humble service – this is God’s plan for this created world. It is to be as Jesus taught, “on earth as it is in heaven.”

The evidence that Jesus gives are both our inheritance and our marching orders. Jesus offers to open our eyes so we can see as he sees, just as he invites us to do the same for others. He walks with us when we cannot walk alone and he asks us to do the same with one another. Jesus cleanses us of our “diseases” and he speaks truth into our hard hearts. He brings life to what was once “dead” and he restores relationships. All of these, in turn, Jesus invites us to do for the world. As we find healing and wholeness through Jesus Christ, may we work to bring these to our world in need. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, open our hearts and minds to receive all that you offer. Being filled with your love, guidance, presence, healing, and hope, turn us out into the world, pouring ourselves out for the healing and wholeness of all creation. Use us to manifest your kingdom here on earth. Amen.


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Healing and Wholeness

Reading: Isaiah 35:1-7

Isaiah 35:6 – “Then the lame will keep like a deer and the tongue of the speechless will sing.”

Isaiah 35 envisions a time when the wilderness will blossom with life. The dry and barren land will “burst into bloom” as “streams in the wilderness” bring abundant life to the wilderness. Creation itself will “rejoice with joy and singing” as God restores all the earth back to what it was like in the garden of Eden. This restoration will proceed the return of God’s children to this new promised land. Living in exile, imagine what these words of hope would mean and sound like to you. Imagine what they would feel or sound like living in Gaza or Ukraine or on one of our poorest reservations or in an inner city shelter. People in all of these places long for God’s restoration of the land and of all who dwell in it.

After creation is restored, Isaiah envisions the restoration of all of humanity. This is also a return to the way it was in the garden. The weak hands and unsteady knees will become strong. Those with disabilities will be made new and whole again. Verse 6 sums it up beautifully: “Then the lame will keep like a deer and the tongue of the speechless will sing.” Like creation, the restored humanity with celebrate with joy and singing. The trauma and suffering of exile will be no more. Pondering this day would bring great hope and longing to those in exile, in Gaza, in Ukraine, on the reservation, in the inner city…

There will be times and seasons when we find ourselves in dry and barren places or in exile. In these moments when we experience trauma and suffering, we can trust into God to bring healing and wholeness and strength to us and to our lives. This is the promise. God’s grace is here and now. Thanks be to God.

Prayer: Lord God, what hope and promise you offer through the words of Isaiah! To return to a land of abundance for all, to a place without fear or violence or greed, to a time when all people are made whole – what a day that will be. Walk with us daily, O God, guiding us to work to make this envisioned day more and more of a reality here and now. Amen.


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Imagine…

Reading: Isaiah 65:20-25

Isaiah 65:23 – “They won’t labor in vain, nor bear children to a world of horrors, because they will be people blessed by the Lord.”

The themes of yesterday’s reading from Isaiah 65 get fleshed out today as we continue reading. We see what the new heaven and earth will be like. We see the reasons for joy and gladness. Infants will live to see old age. Good health and long life will be enjoyed by all people. All will be housed and have enough to eat. Imagine what this would be like! Sadly, though, this could be a reality right now if we just loved and cared for one another as God created us to do.

In this light, verse 23 hits hard: “They won’t labor in vain, nor bear children to a world of horrors, because they will be people blessed by the Lord.” Many will go to work today wondering when they will earn a living wage, making enough to not have to live paycheck to paycheck. Many will wake their children and wonder if they can feed them another day or if the bills might somehow get paid so that they can still have a roof over their heads. Talk about horrors. What would it take for such as these to be “blessed by the Lord?”

To be blessed, the current people of God must be so intimately connected to God that God would hear and answer before we call or speak. Such an intimate relationship would first require that we love God with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength. When we love God this way, we find that we love others in the same way. With eyes of love we would see the vulnerable. And as we see them and are moved by the Spirit, God would hear and answer, leading us to be a part of making the new heaven and earth more of a present reality. Imagine what this would be like…

Prayer: Lord God, we have so much more than enough. Because of your great love, we have great abundance. But we also have great greed and an inward focus. Lord, loosen our grip on things. Bend our focus outward, away from self. Send us to the people and places of need. Use us to bring wholeness to our world. Create around us communities where all flourish, where all are blessed. Connect us to one another, spreading hope and grace. Amen.


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Humble Surrender

Reading: 2nd Kings 5:1-3 and 5-14c

2nd Kings 5:14b – “Now I know for certain that there’s no God anywhere on earth except in Israel.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

A powerful general from Aram has a skin disease. Unlike in Israel, this does not make him an outcast in his country. But this disease still creates a physical need for healing. By chance (?) an Israelite girl is a slave in Naaman’s home. She comments, ‘Only if my master could see the prophet in Samaria…’ In no time, Naaman is off to Israel’s king – letter, thank you gift, and entourage in tow. The king of Israel is powerless to heal him so he receives this visit as an attempt to pick a fight. Elisha the prophet hears of this and tells the king to send Naaman his way.

Ultimately following Elisha’s simple directions, Naaman is beyond healed. His skin was restored to the skin of his youth. Not just the bad spot was cleansed. Returning to Elisha’s house, Naaman declares, “Now I know for certain that there’s no God anywhere on earth except in Israel.” The outsider, the foreigner, is profoundly affected. Professing his faith in God alone, Naaman will bring dirt back home so that he has a place to worship God. The cleansing of his disease has begun Naaman on a path that leads to wholeness for Naaman. This is found only in a relationship with the Lord.

Wholeness comes through living daily in a right relationship with God. This week we’ve talked about one means to focus on living this way. The Examen’s steps of request, relish, review, repent, and resolve take us daily to a place of honest reflection and introspection, drawing us closer to the Lord, empowering our daily walk. This discipline is grounded in humility and surrender. Kneeling on proverbial dirt, may we worship the Lord our God each day.

Prayer: Lord God, we can struggle as Naaman did, allowing pride and status to mislead us, to keep us from a place where we open ourselves up to your healing power. Like the servant who called him to humble surrender, may we hear the voice of your Spirit calling us to this place daily. Amen.


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Praise and Thanksgiving

Reading: Luke 17:15-19

Luke 17:18 – “No one returned to praise God except this foreigner?”

As we continue in the story of Jesus healing ten men of their skin diseases, we turn to the second step in the spiritual discipline called the Examen: relish. This step is the expression of gratitude for the way(s) that God has worked in our lives. While I did not notice the subtitle yesterday, today I did. It is this: “Jesus heals a Samaritan.”

All ten men are cleansed of their skin diseases as they make their way to the priest. The cleansing must not have been immediate but somewhere along the journey. At that time, one saw he was healed and turned back toward Jesus. The other nine continued on to the priest to complete the next step: passing inspection so that they could be declared “clean.” This priestly step allowed them to rejoin society, to go back to their old life – to life before disease.

The Samaritan returns, praising God in a loud voice. He falls at Jesus’ feet to express his deep gratitude. This is what “relish” looks like. Jesus then muses aloud, wondering where the other nine are. He points out the fact that ten were cleansed. Jesus then asks, “No one returned to praise God except this foreigner?” The cleansing was the first step in healing the Samaritan. His faith has been deepened because of his experience. His praise and gratitude build up his relationship with God. The other nine were surely grateful for being able to go back to their old life. But then they just returned to their old faith. This is what saddens Jesus. God moved the needle for a moment, then it just went back to empty.

Most of us pray to God all the time. When we’re serious we likely seek to enter into God’s presence (request.) In those instances when God does restore health or open a door or whatever, do we relish what God has done? If so, we begin to experience healing as we move closer to wholeness in our relationship with God. In our daily lives, may we choose to make time to praise and thank the Lord our God.

Prayer: Lord God, how often we are like the nine. We whisper a quick “thank you” and get right back to the buzz of life. O God, slow us down, draw us closer. Lead our heart to fully recognize how you’ve moved or acted, and then guide us to offer our praise and thanksgiving. Taking this time builds our faith, our relationship with you, healing a bit more of our brokenness. Teach us to relish you and all you do. Amen.


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Building the Kingdom

Reading: Matthew 12:24-30

Matthew 12:25 – “Every kingdom involved in civil war will become a wasteland. Every city or house torn apart by divisions will collapse.”

We begin a week focusing on unity, peace, and love with a passage from Matthew 12. The Pharisees and Jesus often had interactions that highlight the differences between faith in Jesus and the religion of Judaism. The point of contention in today’s reading centers around the casting out of demons.

After healing a demon-possessed man, some people are beginning to ask of Jesus, “This man couldn’t be the Son of David, could he?” The Pharisees do not think Jesus is the Messiah, so they seek to offer an alternate explanation for the healing of the man. The Pharisees declare that Jesus can cast our demons because he is in cahoots with Satan. In response to this claim, Jesus counters with: “Every kingdom involved in civil war will become a wasteland. Every city or house torn apart by divisions will collapse.”

Unfortunately we have seen this happen again and again in kingdoms, cities, homes, and even in the church. Civil strife, personal conflict, selfish ambitions – they all lead to and very often end in disunity, division, collapse. Satan is almost always the author of this. What Jesus is doing is just the opposite. By the power of God’s spirit, Jesus heals, bringing reunification, belonging, wholeness. With the same power of the Holy Spirit we can counter disunity and division.

Jesus offers a summary statement in verse 30: “Whoever isn’t with me is against me, and whoever doesn’t gather scatters.” When we speak words of peace and love that lead to unity, we are gathering with Jesus. When we work to end strife, conflict, and other sins that lead to division, then we are working with Jesus, seeking to build the kingdom of God. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, where there is division, use us to bring unity. Where there is conflict, use us to bring peace. Where there is hatred, use us to spread love. Where there is separation, use us to build a bridge. In all ways, use us to bring the kingdom of heaven to earth. Amen.


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Contagious

Reading: 2nd Corinthians 7:5-7

2nd Corinthians 7:6 – “God comforts people who are discouraged, and he comforted us by Titus’ arrival.”

Photo credit: Uta Scholl

As Paul and his companions arrive in Macedonia there is no rest for the weary. There are problems – “external conflict… internal fears.” For Paul and his coworkers these trials and hardships could be barriers to ministry. But God has other plans. In verse 6 we read, “God comforts people who are discouraged, and he comforted us by Titus’ arrival.” At just the needed time, God sends Titus, bringing along the encouragement that he has received himself in Corinth. In turn, Titus encourages Paul and others there in Macedonia.

When one lives out their faith it often inspires others to live out their faith too. This isn’t just true for comfort. It also works this way with peace, joy, trust, generosity, assurance, grace, humility, mercy, contentment, forgiveness… The practices of our faith are contagious!

Titus also brings a personal message for Paul. The church in Corinth longs to see Paul. They want an opportunity to express their regret for what happened during his last visit. On that second visit Paul was deeply hurt. The church has dealt with this person but still wants to apologize and receive forgiveness face to face. This news brings Paul much happiness. To mend a relationship, to offer care and concern, to restore what was broken, these things bring us much joy and happiness too.

Where do we need to bring comfort through our words of reconciliation and grace? Where do we need to respond to the brokenness in our lives or in the world?

Prayer: Lord God, guide our lives, leading us to be people who live out a contagious faith. May the light and love of Christ in our hearts be cast wide in the world, bringing healing and wholeness to our relationships and to other’s lives. Amen.


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The Way of the Lord

Reading: Isaiah 35:5-10

Isaiah 35:10 – “The Lord’s ransomed ones will return and enter Zion with singing, with everlasting joy upon their heads.”

Isaiah 35 speaks of God’s restoration of Israel. Likely proclaimed while in exile, the words of the prophet would give hope to those living as foreigners in a pagan land. Our passage begins with promises of healing for those with physical suffering: the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will walk, the mute will sing. God will restore all to wholeness and well-being.

God will also restore the land. What has become dry and harsh will become green pastures with flowing waters. Israel’s collective last memory of their homeland was the destruction left behind by the Babylonians in the north and the Assyrians in the south. They had ravaged the land. God will restore it. The exiles will return to a new version of the Promised Land.

In verses 8-9 Isaiah begins to lay out a vision of Israel’s actual return. God will make their path like a highway – smooth and easy to travel upon. Only the faithful will walk “The Holy Way.” No predators and no evil persons. Only the redeemed will walk on it. There will be joy and happiness. There will not be grief or groaning. In verse 10 we read, “The Lord’s ransomed ones will return and enter Zion with singing, with everlasting joy upon their heads.” How the Lord will forgive, restore, and return Israel to wholeness and faithfulness!

While these words were originally written to a nation living in exile, the promises are true today because the character of God does not change. If you or someone you know is in exile – suffering, alone, struggling with health or a difficult situation – God wants to bring wholeness and joy to your life, to their life, to all of our lives. Our God wants to ransom us all from our places of exile and thirst. The invitation to walk the way of the Lord is always there. We just have to step upon the “highway.”

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the vision and reminder of who and what you are and if who and what you want us to be. Help us to walk in your ways, to step into the plans you have for us, into who you call us to be. Walking with you, ransomed by your love, we will be restored and made whole. Draw each of us to walk in your ways. Amen.