First Thoughts Daily Readings Feb 7, 2008

Morning: Psalm 147:12-20
Habakkuk 3:1-10 (11-15) 16-18
Philippians 3:12-21
John 17:1-8
Evening: Psalm 102:1-28

The Christian faith for sure is a journey. It's one I have not taken alone, but one God alone has set me on. I look back over my faith walk, and though it seems sometimes I'm stuck on some median strip or at some crossroad for ever, when I pay attention I see I have moved closer to God in this journey, and I've moved farther away from what satisfies just my human sensibilities. I am not in the same place I started. That's obvious when I see the many places I've lived, and the people I've met along the way. Indeed, I have moved on, more than once, leaving behind friends, jobs, homes, family, churches. But I'm also in a whole other place spiritually than when I began. Moving on spiritually for me has always involved letting go of something - or someone - dear to me.

But in each move was the perfecting of God's plan for me, incomplete at each juncture, yet taking greater shape in the letting go. Looking back to the unsettling, to the goodbyes and new adventures, and even in the moments I seemed stuck, God was fashioning in me the prize of my heavenly call. I see now that is what a living faith is about - movement, drama, and upheaval, and heavenly prizes. That's how Habakkuk saw God's movement in creation and in life's battles - cosmic, divine, dramatic, anything but benign or stagnant. Faith moves mountains and faith moves the faithful. When we come to Christ, He offers a wild journey that moves us out and up, and away from what hinders the Kingdom, and moves us toward God and God's calling. We can stay the course with Jesus, or we can stay on the median strip forever, wondering what this prize is we're afraid to seek, and thwarting the work of the Spirit in us wherever he is sending us.

every day I have to decide to hold on to Jesus, and step off the curb. And I'm sure it will continue to be a disturbing ride, dodging traffic to press on, even if it is exciting. Paul reminds me of this: ¹²Not that I have already obtained this or have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. ¹³Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵Let those of us then who are mature be of the same mind; and if you think differently about anything, this too God will reveal to you. ¹⁶Only let us hold fast to what we have attained.

The journey is not on the median strip. Let's hold on to Jesus, let go, and step out in prayer and faith on the road God has laid out for each of us. Our heavenly prize is Jesus, who binds us together on the journey, now and in eternity.

First Thoughts Daily readings Feb 6 2008

Daily Lectionary:

Morning: Psalm 147:1-11
Amos 5:6-15
Hebrews 12:1-14
Luke 18:9-14
Evening: Psalm 51:1-19

Today is Ash Wednesday and as I consider my Lenten journey - what needs to stay and what needs to go - I confess I resist putting myself under authority like the next guy. But today's readings make it clear, that in order to be holy, in order to serve a just God, for the church to live in peace, unity and purity under the authority of the word, and the Lordship of Christ, there is no other way. Amos makes that warning clear: "Seek the Lord and live, or else..."

We don't like ultimatums like this. Seek the Lord, Yes. Live, you bet. Do good and not evil, of course. Show mercy and walk humbly. But seek the Lord, OR ELSE all hell will break lose? Seek the Lord or you will die? Obey the whole grainy and uncomfortable truth of God's word, or perish? Seek the Lord on polity and church order, or be spit out of God's mouth?

Do we really believe that God will deal with the church if we take lightly his authority on ALL matters?

Discipline. How the church is soft on it today. One of the 3 marks of the church and we get amnesia when one among us has erred from God's word on matters of conduct and authority. When one among us puts their own desires and "needs" above the body of Christ. We dismiss sin, as GOD HAS DEFINED IT, with winks and nods in the church; if we offer discipline, it's more often only a love pat on the wrist with no consequences. We let our heart rule over our head in matters of interpretation of God's word for purity and character, when truth and grace go hand in hand.

...[God] disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share his holiness. ¹¹Now, discipline always seems painful rather than pleasant at the time, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.¹²Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, ¹³and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.¹⁴Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews affirms that discipline is an act of love. Discipline's purpose is to yield holiness. I want to be holy, and so I will submit. Lord have mercy on me. Love me till it hurts.