pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

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Wonderful Things

Reading: Psalm 98:1-3

Psalm 98:1a – “Sing to the Lord a new song because he has done wonderful things!”

Psalm 98 is a song of praise for God’s victory. These words of joy come from deep within the psalmist’s soul. His or her joy simply exudes from these words of praise. It pours forth especially from the first line: “Sing to the Lord a new song because he has done wonderful things!”

When have you felt this kind of joy in your life? When have you felt completely blessed to be in God’s presence? For me, great joy has come in moments both big and small, at times anticipated and at other times totally unexpected. From moments in worship when suddenly tears of joy are streaming down my face to times when holding a newborn child in my arms, these experiences fill my heart, reminding me that God is present in our lives.

The psalmist rejoices first in victories won by God’s “strong hand… his holy arm.” These might be great military victories or they might be triumphs over sin in our lives. I’d lean towards the second because the author next expresses joy in God making salvation and righteousness known to “all the nations.” Today’s portion of Psalm 98 closes with the psalmist celebrating God’s love for and faithfulness to God’s people. This has helped spread salvation to “every corner of the earth.” What joy the psalmist has!

What is the source, what fuels this joy? It comes from time in two ways. First, it comes from time spent with God: practicing a daily quiet time of prayer and study, investing in our relationship with God. Second, our joy builds each time we experience the hand of God touching our lives. These “touches” also deepen our relationship with God, opening our eyes to see joy, widening our hearts to be filled with joy.

Prayer: Lord God, your salvation and righteousness continue to pour forth into the world. Your love and joy pours out from your heart into our lives. We join the psalmist in celebrating the wonderful things you do in our lives and in the world. Hallelujah and 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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Resolve

Reading: Jeremiah 29:1 and 4-7

Jeremiah 29:5-6 – “Build houses and settle down; cultivate gardens and eat what they produce. Get married and have children…”

In the opening verse we learn that Jeremiah sends a letter to those who have been brought into exile – to the elders, priests, prophets, and people taken to Babylon from Jerusalem. The typical thought process would be figuring out how to get back home ASAP. For us, when we’ve sinned and find ourselves in exile, this is normally our thought process. It will not be so for Jeremiah and for Israel.

This is part of God’s proclamation to Israel: “Build houses and settle down; cultivate gardens and eat what they produce. Get married and have children…” In other words, settle in and become a part of where God has sent you. Treat whatever city of exile as your new homeland. Contribute to the community’s welfare and pray for it. Israel will spend almost two generations in exile (70 years.) During this time God will produce a small but faithful remnant to return to Jerusalem and to the Promised Land.

Jeremiah is calling Israel to the fifth movement of Ignatuis’ Examen: resolve. In more modern language, God is asking Israel to “bloom where you are planted.” Being there for the long haul, God invites Israel to make the most of their new reality. A better future is out there for God’s people. But there is work to be done. Like Israel, at times we must resolve that tomorrow can and will be different. Working through request, relish, review, and repent we arrive at a place of heart prepared to look and move forward with hope. As we resolve to live more like Christ, God’s transforming Spirit leads us forward, deepening our relationship with God and with one another. May it be so each day as we learn to practice this powerful spiritual discipline.

Prayer: Lord God, lead and guide us to walk the walk, not just to talk the talk. Lead and guide us to work the steps, not just to give them a tip of the hat. Only when we put in the effort, only then will you work in and then through us, transforming our hearts and the communities in which we live and in which we worship. Strengthen and encourage us, O God. Amen.


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A God That Is Known

Reading: Psalm 91:14-16

Psalm 91:14 – “Because you are devoted to me, I’ll rescue you. I’ll protect you because you know my name.”

Photo credit: Eugene Zhyvchik

As we close out Psalm 91 we read some pretty awesome promises from God. These words are words of rescue, protection, presence, and salvation. In verse 14 God says, “Because you are devoted to me, I’ll rescue you. I’ll protect you because you know my name.” For the people walking with God, for those who are devoted to following God’s instructions, for those who strive to daily live out God’s will and way – God will rescue and protect them. If we live daily within these descriptions, we will be rescued and protected. This absolute feeling guarantee is set partly in Israel’s understanding of themselves as God’s “chosen” people and partly in the reality that for one to be aware of God’s rescuing and protecting, one must know and believe in God’s power and presence.

Our God is a loving and compassionate God. Our God knit every person together in the womb. We are therefore all God’s beloved children. God will rescue and protect those who do not know God at times. These moments are chalked up as karma or good luck or to personal efforts. These folks would not cry out to God as the psalmist speaks of in verse 15. The “cry out to me” in this verse is a knowing cry. It is a cry or a plea to a close friend for help, rescue… To make this kind of a cry – one that is heard and responded to – one must know God.

The crying out to and being answered by the God that is known results in bringing glory to God. The rescue, protection… is credited to God through praise, thanksgiving, witness, and worship. These experiences lead to a long walk with God, to walking with God into “old age,” as the psalmist puts it. And, ultimately, a long and faithful walk with God leads us to experience our salvation – the eternal saving and redemption of our souls. For our God who is known, who is present, who walks daily with us, we say thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, you move and act, guide and direct, rescue and protect, redeem and restore all the time – even when we and others are unaware of it. But as your sons and daughters, make us ever aware of your acts of love and compassion in our lives. Lead us to praise your holy name as our response. It is so good to walk daily with you. For your constant love and care, we say “Thank you!” Amen.


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“I Will Never Forget…”

Reading: Amos 8:4-7

Amos 8:4 – “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and destroy the poor of the land…”

Photo credit: Nathan Dumlao

Amos was a prophet, likely the first of many to write about the unjust behaviors of Israel’s and Judah’s leaders. He proclaimed that worship without justice was unacceptable to God. Instead of following God’s instructions about sharing with and including the poor in religious festivals that remembered and celebrated God’s loving acts when Israel was freed from slavery and oppression in Egypt, the prosperous and powerful were excluding the poor and needy. Outside of worship those with power mistreated and enslaved the poor. Amos called the people to righteousness and justice – or face God’s judgment.

Turning to our passage from chapter 8, Amos begins with “Hear this, you who trample on the needy and destroy the poor of the land…” These are strong words of warning. Instead of truly worshipping during the sacred festivals, the wealthy and powerful are scheming about how to further exploit the poor and needy. They plan to make the scoop smaller (the ephah) while making the weight heavier (the shekel) to deceive the poor with “false balances.” They can sell less product for a greater profit. As an added bonus for the prosperous, this will make the poor poorer and the needy needier. Soon enough, they think, we can “buy the needy for silver” and “the helpless for sandals.” Through Amos, the Lord says, “Surely I will never forget what they’ve done.”

Today in our land we see cuts to programs that feed the poor and needy alongside tax cuts for the wealthy and powerful. We see politicians wheeling and dealing in “pork barrel politics,” working for personal gain while ignoring needed services to the vulnerable and powerless that live in their districts. In the very same way, the Lord our God says, “Surely I will never forget what they’ve done.”

Prayer: Lord God, your heart is for the vulnerable and powerless. This was clearly evident when you took on flesh and gave us a living example to follow. Raise up our voices for justice, O God, and empower our hands and feet, O Lord, to have a heart like your heart, to serve humbly as Jesus did. Amen.


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Heed the Warning!

Reading: Luke 12:13-21

Luke 12:15 – “Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions.”

In today’s text Jesus addresses money – a frequent topic in his teachings. In the story a presumably younger brother asks Jesus to tell his brother to give him what is due to him. Jesus declares that he’s not the judge or referee – or the relationship counselor. Good thing because we all want what we think should be rightfully ours. This often includes money or possessions but can also include our time, our talents and gifts, and even our prayers and worship.

Jesus then tells a story to illustrate the gravity of his warning. Often we have to figure out which person we are in the story – or who we hope to be. Today’s story, however, has just one character. A rich man has a bountiful harvest. We get a bonus at work or that commission on the big account comes through. The man’s barns are not big enough to take in the wonderful harvest, adding to what’s already stored up. While there is always more “room” in the bank, we’ll rent storage units for our new stuff. Finding himself at the crossroads between generosity and self-indulgence, the man decides to tear down his current barns to horde more stuff in bigger, newer barns. The man thinks he’s all set – there’s plenty in the bank. Oops – in the barns. He thinks that he can now “Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.” Life is good!

Alas, Jesus says, the man will die that night. He horded and was not “rich toward God.” He was storing up treasures in earth, not in heaven. The truth of Jesus’ warning is realized: “Watch out! Guard yourself against all kinds of greed. After all, one’s life isn’t determined by one’s possessions.” May we hear the lesson and heed the warning.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the warning and good story to back it up. Really, God, we all struggle with some kind of greed. Yet we read the story and almost all of us ask the question, “How much is enough?” Even this question betrays our trust in you to provide all that we need. Lord, teach us to be content with what you provide and guard our hearts against the hunan desire to strive for more. Amen.


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The Lord Provides

Reading: Genesis 22:1-8

Genesis 22:8 – “The lamb for the entirely burned offering? God will see to it, my son. The two of them walked on together.”

As a young man Abram heard God’s call to leave his home and family, going to the place that God “will show you.” Once there, God again spoke, promising him very, very numerous descendants in the land God brought him to. After taking the making of an heir into their own hands, God again spoke, renaming and telling Abraham and Sarah that they would indeed have a son – at 99 and 90, respectively.

Isaac is soon born to this very aged couple. With great heartache the heir Abram and Sarai schemed is sent away into the wilderness. And then, about a dozen or so years later, God says to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son whom you love, Isaac… Offer him up as an entirely burned offering.” Say what?!

As we read in verse 3, Abraham is faithful to God. With wood, fire, knife, and Isaac in tow, Abraham sets out for the mountain that God “will show you.” Leaving the servants at the base of that mountain, Abraham says to them, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will walk up there, worship, and then come back to you.” As God has done again and again in his life, Abraham expects God to provide again.

As Abraham and Isaac ascend the mountain, the boys asks, “But where is the lamb for the entirely burned offering?” The wood, the fire, the knife – they’re all here. Where is the lamb? Oh yes, Isaac, the lamb. Abraham says to his son, “God will see to it, my son. The two of them walked on together.” With great faith, Abraham trusts in his God, believing that the Lord will provide. Set up as a test, Abraham’s faith is stronger than this test. May it be so for you and for me when we have the choice to doubt or to trust in the Lord. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, you are the God that provides. You were there for Abraham. You will be there for Isaac. You were there for Isaiah when you said, “The LORD will guide you continually and provide for you, even in parched places. He will rescue your bones. You will be like a watered garden, like a spring of water that won’t run dry” (Isaiah 58:11.) You offer us the same promises when we walk forward in faith. Lead and guide us on our walk today, O God. Amen.


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Reality Check

Reading: Daniel 4:34-37

Daniel 4:37 – “All his [God’s] works are truth, all his paths are justice, and he is able to humble all who walk in pride.”

At the start of Daniel 4 King Nebuchadnezzar praises God as powerful and everlasting. God has just rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace. Yes, they were thrown into the furnace because they refused to worship the 90′ statue made in the king’s likeness. God then brings Nebuchadnezzar a dream. None of the king’s sages, diviners… can interpret it. But Daniel can – “because the breath of the holy gods is in you.” The dream reveals that God will drive the king into the wilderness, living as an animal. He will live in this state until he acknowledges that “heaven rules all” – including him.

A year later the king is walking in the palace roof. He says to himself, ‘Isn’t Babylon great… this city built by MY mighty strength and by MY majestic glory?’ The words hadn’t left his mouth before God pronounced judgment on him. We see here how pride is ever there, often just below the surface. There are times when we’ll think how talented or beautiful we are or how wonderful that thing I did was or ___. You fill in the blank. We all can, many times over. Pride is something almost all of us battle with. And thinking too highly of oneself is not the only way pride is revealed.

Nebuchadnezzar’s sentence is immediately carried out. He lives as an animal in the wild for “seven periods of time.” We don’t know how long this was but we do know it was long enough for Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge God’s authority. In humility he says, “All his [God’s] works are truth, all his paths are justice, and he is able to humble all who walk in pride.” When we get too full of ourselves, when we start judging and playing the comparison game, when we refuse to do a menial task, when we… we too will get a reality check. It might not be immediately, but it will come. The way to avoid this? Walk humbly with God each and every day, acknowledging God’s power and strength over all things. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, how often we see pride leading to words, actions, and behaviors that are far less than you call us to be. When we fall into the sun of pride, open our eyes as we look in the mirror. Humble us when needed, returning us to the worship of you instead of self. To you, O God, is all the glory, honor, and praise. Amen.


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One to Exalt

Reading: Isaiah 2:10-18

Isaiah 2:17 – “People’s pride will be brought down and human arrogance humiliated. The Lord alone will be exalted on that day.”

Photo credit: Shane Rounce

We return to the beginning of Isaiah again this week. In chapter 1 we read about Judah being far from God, turning to idols and foreign powers to save them. The leaders were taking advantage of and oppressing the least among them. Even so, God offered grace and mercy, forgiveness and restoration – if the nation would humble themselves, confessing and repenting of their sins. If only…

Turning to verse 10, Isaiah suggests that the people “go into the rocks” to hide from the Lord’s terror. The sin of Judah will be dealt with. The people’s “proud gazing” and “humanity’s arrogance” will be brought low. The day is coming, says the prophet, when all that is prideful, haughty, and lofty will be “laid low.” These sins have led Judah to the precarious place that they find themselves in.

Next we find a list of some of the things that humankind’s pride can be rooted in: natural resources, man made structures, the means of war. In our day, does the list look much different? Pride and arrogance continue to drive many of the sins and evil of our day. Again speaking of the difficult and painful day soon to come, in verse 17 we read, “People’s pride will be brought down and human arrogance humiliated. The Lord alone will be exalted on that day.” It is good and right to that God alone is exalted, that God alone is worshipped. It is a choice that we can make. May it be so in our lives. Yes, may it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, it can be so easy to look around, to see others with ‘things’ we’d like – power, status, possessions. Once there it is an easy step to lust and envy, to greed and want. But to desire and pursue these things us to move in the opposite direction of you. The world is all about self, elevating self, gathering things. In that arena, pride and arrogance are rampant and infectious. Shield us from these desires. Lead us to find our worth in you. Guide us to seek you above all else. Center our lives on worshipping you alone. Amen.


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Good and Perfect

Reading: Revelation 21:1-5

Revelation 21:3 – “Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.”

Revelation 21 begins the third major section of John’s book and it recounts the new creation – a new heaven and earth. In many ways this vision bookends Genesis 1, where God walked and talked daily with humankind in a perfect and good world created by God. In Revelation, the new creation comes down out of heaven and settles on earth. John names this city of God “the New Jerusalem.” It is magnificently described in verse 2 as “a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” There is intimacy in these words.

In verse 3 we read, “Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people.” God’s constant presence will be with all who dwell in the new creation. Because of this presence, there will be no tears, no death, “no mourning, crying, or pain.” These are the things of the old world and they will pass away, establishing a new creation where life, joy, love, and peace will reign.

The one on the throne speaks, declaring, “Look! I’m making all things new.” The divine presence is doing what was done in Genesis 1. Through the power of God, all will be made anew, good and perfect. Our role in this new creation will be to worship our God. What a beautiful vision of what will one day come into being.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for the hope found in these words. These are words we always need to remember and often need to hear. Lead and guide us to walk faithfully all of our days. Draw us towards the new creation. And use us to help manifest it here on earth. Amen.