Accidental Upgrade

Thank you, and goodbye

2008-11-27T08:47:00.002-05:00

Today's Thanksgiving. And on the heels of being thankful, comes waiting for Jesus. And waiting to say goodbye.

On this day, Ron & I are thankful for our home of over 25 years, our children and grandchildren, our dear friends, our church. On this day too, we are thankful for God's hand on our lives, as we anticipate our move to Florida where I begin a new call in January. The Lord has made straight the path for us, though it is with deep and mixed emotions that we tread upon it. On this Thanksgiving Day, we are not prepared quite yet to leave.

Yet, it is a blessing that this is all happening at this time of the year.

You see Advent is a time of preparation. That first Advent, people prepared for the birth of a child save us, and lead us. So as his disciples, we are always preparing for His coming to us, guiding, loving and caring for us, as he calls us to follow Him.

The gospels we shall read this month remind us that we do not always know the hour or the timing of God coming among us. Nor do we always know what He is preparing us for. With the coming of Christ in our lives, we live in a tension between certainty and expectation. Between status quo and radical change. Between going or staying. Between hello and goodbye. When we truly prepare for Jesus to come into our lives, and when we truly receive Him as Savior and Lord, our lives are not our own. And we are never the same again. For that, I am thankful on this day for I do not go alone.

A poem for you all from me:

Waiting with expectation for what I do not know

Except that it will not be without wonder

I step out on the path before me on a misty night

Following the sound I know well but cannot hear.

I am prepared because I am uncertain but not afraid

I see his wee footsteps in the mud

and feel him behind me and now

I hold the hand I cannot touch.

I am not prepared in my softer places to leave

As He was not but went all the same

Preparing the leave-taking just so in due time

Caressing the sadness with a purpose I cannot speak of.

Making straight the crooked path He leads me

Into wonder and joyful sadness to be

A little Christ who steps out on the path to life

Eternal and with the One I love but cannot hold

Until then.

Happy Thanksgiving as we wait for Jesus to come,

Pastor Lyn

They Will Know We Are Christians by Our Love...even in an election year

2008-11-07T09:57:00.001-05:00

I have attached below an article forwarded to me this morning from the Wall Street Journal. I find it compelling not because I am trying to be political, or am blind to the problems of this administration, but because of the way people have expressed their anxiety toward our President in our unprecedented and very troubled times. I agree with the author’s opinion, who served on John Kerry’s campaign staff in 2004.

I urge you to remember that not one person is responsible for all our troubles. Not one person can solve them. President Bush is not perfect, but he was right when he said we must all work together to make this nation right and safe and prosperous. And when evil and tragedy is out of our control, let us be on our knees, rather than throw stones. I daresay this is true in every aspect of our lives.

May God bless our new President as we Christian Americans come together and show the world that we are unified, strong and faithful to the tenets of liberty, justice, peace and opportunity for all in this great nation and the world. And when troubles come here and around the world that affect our lives, which they have and will under every administration, may we express our discontent with more grace and forbearance than we have seen in recent times. People all over the globe are watching how Christians participate in the political process, and can learn about Jesus in how we submit to our leaders with respect, challenge them with grace, and do all things in love, to the glory of the Creator of the world and Lord of all nations.

Pastor Lyn

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122584386627599251.html

Renewal in the Rockies

2008-10-06T08:19:00.001-04:00

In late September my husband and I spent a week in Colorado Springs, for with the goal of renewal on several levels. I was invited to the 2 1/2 day fall board meeting of Presbyterians for Renewal as a new board member. In the hotel as I prepared for the meeting, I watched with America the Wall Street crisis, and controversy over the bailout solution. The PC(USA) is in similar shambles, and our task at PFR this week was to discuss a bailout of another sort - some form of reform, renewal, restoration, recovery...of a denomination that is crashing as fast as the stock market. We would spend 2/1/2 days inside a meeting room considering options, Pike's Peak in the distance out the windows.

As for personal renewal, we extended our trip and the Rockies did the trick - bright yellow aspen splashed the mountains, and the weather was cool on our faces. I was fascinated by the Garden of the Gods, marveling at the upheaval of enormous sections of petrified striated sediment towering over us. I gaped at Balance Rock, teetering precariously on its red rock platform. We hiked along the river on Seven Bridges trail, wandered the streets of Manitou Springs and stood on the world's highest suspension bridge and gazed out over the Royal Gorge. It is as deep as 1,200 feet in places. We learned that the gorge was forged only 2 inches every 1,000 years. Amazing how patient God was in the creation of this amazing place.

In the evenings we found our way to Southside Johnny's ("Bikers Welcome"), and let down with cold beer, quesadillas, and pool. It's a place where everybody DOESN'T know your name but welcomes you anyway. A place where a happy customer can join in singing with the live entertainment, and no one stopped him, including the singer. On our beautiful drive to the former ghost town, Cripple Creek, we listened to the Chiefs beat the Broncos. My husband and I laughed long and hard for the first time in months, and considered that renewal can be ours, if we allow for it. I felt free and disengaged from the cares of this life. I considered all God had made, & I called it good.

As for my time with PFR, I was grateful for this beautiful setting and our experiences there as the context for our meetings. It helped put my renewal work in perspective. Like Balance Rock, much hangs in the balance, teetering over the future. Yet I reflected, whatever happens to our denomination, God is still sovereign over the church, the world, the people He loves. God is still creating, restoring,renewing HIS Kingdom - maybe inches at a time. In the PC (USA) we are trying to seek a way together, but I am certain God is forging something new - redirecting the path of the flow of living water, taking us deeper and to places we may not want to go. God is bringing new voices into the discussion, and silencing others. We believe WE have the answers to the crises of our lives. But it is God who creates a way through hardened rock, whose Spirit blows cool breezes through our stuffy polity and brings life to ghost towns that are our churches. It is Jesus who is Lord of the church.

I saw splashes of color as we prayed and worshiped the one sovereign Creator, Redeemer, Sustainer together. That's all God asks from us, as we seek his wisdom on our future.

The Good News and Bad News of Being a Pastor

2008-09-12T08:26:00.004-04:00

I have a sense of humor like the next gal. So does one of my members. Yesterday, she sent me one of those email forwards. It got me laughing out loud at first, until I realized some of this resonated a little too close to home. Still it was sent in good fun and so I pass on to you pastors (and congregations) out there. Here goes.

Good News and Bad News For a Pastor

Good News: You baptized seven people today in the river.
Bad News: You lost two of them in the swift current.

Good News: The Presbyterian Women voted to send you a get-well card.
Bad News: The vote passed by 31-30.

Good News: The Elders accepted your job description the way you wrote it.
Bad News: They were so inspired by it, they also formed a search committee to find somebody capable of filling the position.

Good News: You finally found a choir director who approaches things exactly the same way you do.
Bad News: The choir mutinied.

Good News: Mrs. Jones is wild about your sermons.
Bad News: Mrs. Jones is also wild about the "Gong Show," "Beavis and Butthead" and "Texas Chain Saw Massacre."

Good News: The trustees finally voted to add more church parking.
Bad News: They are going to blacktop the front lawn of your parsonage.

Good News: Church attendance rose dramatically the last three weeks.
Bad News: You were on vacation.

Good News: Your biggest critic just left your church.
Bad News: He has been appointed the Executive Presbyter.

Good News: The youth in your church come to your house for a surprise visit.
Bad News: It's in the middle of the night and they are armed with toilet paper and shaving cream to "decorate" your house.

Now, I don't know about you, but where there is some truth in these "funnies," I felt my face flush. We actually are looking for a new choir director, and some of the praise team DID mutiny last year.

However on reflection, God is always up to something good in every so-called bad situation. Bad news is relative, isn't it? Bad news to some is good news to another. Bad news can be a wake up call. Bad news can cause us to face our fears, consider the other person's angle, and evaluate our own poor judgment. Bad news may be a way of affirming something God is trying to tell you.

Take for instance the one about attendance going up while you're on vacation. If a pastor believes everything revolves around her preaching, then she has put herself at the center of worship, not God. Perhaps the Spirit was waiting for her to get out of the way...

Maybe God has something to say through Beavis and Butthead. Craig Detweiler, Professor at Fuller has devoted his career to exploring God in culture and indeed, would say "Preach it, Beavis!"

And if we truly believe that it is God who calls one to serve, could it be that the critical member was actually called to the EP position because of this gift? The gift of telling it like it is in a time when straight talk, critical reflection, and difficult conversations are called for? And could it be that the pastor's job description was the work of the Holy Spirit's vision for change in the life of the church, and in the life of the pastor?

At the end of the day, bad news may be truth that transforms.

I would like to assume that the youth group targeted my house because I was cool.

In life or death we belong to the Lord

2008-08-25T09:45:00.004-04:00

The day after my last posting, my Mom and I learned from her oncologist that the chemo she had been taking since December to inhibit the metastasized breast cancer that had spread to her liver, was no longer holding it at bay. We suspected the same. Month after month, her already frail body was collapsing from the cancer's reign in her bones, her breath was shortening, her memory was escaping her, and she was tired. On August 5 she stopped the chemo. On August 7, Hospice joined our family. On August 15 she moved to Hospice House. And on August 18, she went to be with the Lord. Peacefully, painlessly, finally. She was 89 and fought the good fight.

I'd like to say I was prepared for this, being a pastor and all, and knowing Mom had lived a long and full life, loving people, serving the Lord through the church. In my ministry, I have sat at the bedside of many in the same condition, and prayed with families preparing to say goodbye. I presided over the funerals of my husband's parents. I said the words, many, many times, "Dust to dust..." I listened to countless stories about loved ones now departed, in preparation for the funeral message and to comfort the families. I knew what was happening to her, to me, and what was to come. After all, every nano second, someone dies. It is the way of life.

But, I found myself experiencing this death as a daughter, not a pastor. Thank God. Because I did not miss one minute of the pain and loss, the weight of decisions made from day to day about her care, the embrace of friends, and the tears from family shed as we watched her slip away. I struggled with running on empty, as families do when a vigil is underway, relatives coming and going, phone calls of conversations about her love and friendship. I sat on the other side of the table making funeral plans, and realized, everyone needs to be ministered to. Even a minister. Especially this one.

I thank God for this occasion. For the tender and holy way Mom was cared for. For the reunion with Mom & Dad's friends of my childhood who came along side us. For being able to rest in the assurance that she was going to be with the Lord. For her pastor, Fr. Gar, who understood that this pastor would need him to gently lead me back to my place as daughter, and tease out my emotions. For my congregation, who gracefully suspended me from my duties and loved us with food and prayers. As it turns out, no one wanted me to miss what it means to be fully human - to come face to face with death, in all it's glory. In all it's pain and confusion. In all it's loss. In all it's hope.

Mom's home Hospice nurse was Erin. Erin has a young daughter who was telling her teacher what her mother did. "She's a nurse, " the child said. When the teacher said "How nice that is," her daughter replied, "yeah, but all my Mom's patients die." My sister asked Erin, "How do you do this? Knowing your patients always die?" Erin said with a smile, "It's like a birth to me, attending them as they transition through this life to the next."

That was the gift I received too. Watching my Mom transition from this life to the next. And like a wee baby coming into the world, this transition is not without struggle, pain, worry and wonder. But unlike a birth, I shall not be able to hold my Mom in my arms for awhile. For she is resting in the arms of Jesus now.

"In life or death, we belong to the Lord. Even at the grave, we make our song 'Hallelujah!' "

Mom, rest in His peace. I promise I will too, as I soon begin the journey of missing you.

Grandkids Amelia & Lydia with Grandpa Ron

2008-08-04T10:40:00.004-04:00

Rafiki 's Advice, August 4, 2008

2008-08-04T08:49:00.003-04:00

Rafiki, the wise baboon in Lion King had some great advice for Timon, the merkaat, who almost got his buddies eaten by the evil hyenas. When devastation and danger is all around, he told Timon, "Look beyond what you can see."

We can be very short sighted about how we see our lives. Illness, broken marriages, violence, unemployment are right before our eyes everywhere, preying on us, ready to gobble up our joy and our security. All the evening news is "bad news." I hear everyone bellyaching about having to pay $2 for a soft drink on the airplane now, as airlines are getting eaten alive by rising gas costs. What we see is what we get, right?

Wrong! We're not looking hard enough, far enough deep enough. I think we're myopic about our lives, missing the blessings just beyond our noses. We see the world through dark glasses. I was window shopping yesterday in a pair of green tinted sunglasses that distorted the colors of the clothes I was looking at. I didn't know the difference until my husband commented on the "fluorescent green T-shirt" that to me looked a dingy gray.

That's the way we see life, without God.

If we look beyond what we can see, we'll see God and God's promises, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a future..." (Jer. 29:11). We'll see paradise, eternal in the heavens. We'll see Jesus, standing guard over our lives, redeeming our past, and giving us a future. We'll see Jesus, leading us beyond our pain and suffering, to wholeness. We'll see the purpose God has given us - to help others through their circumstances, and to find Jesus. Maybe not in this life, but in the life beyond, we shall see only glory. How much this rings true as I stand at the bedside of a dying believer. Can you see it?

I pray we will look beyond our circumstances today, and see the beautiful life God has assured us in Christ, now and in eternity.

When I think about it, who really NEEDS a soft drink on a 2 hour flight? I can save myself a trip to that tiny bathroom.

First Thoughts Common Lectionary June 2 2008

2008-06-02T07:09:00.002-04:00

Morning: Psalm 145:1-21
Ecclesiastes 2:1-15
Galatians 1:1-17
Matthew 13:44-52
Evening: Psalm 47:1-9

Reading our Covenant group's one year in the Bible has kept me from reading the daily Common Lectionary, but today I returned to it. How rich the lectionary scriptures are today for me. The psalms especially as I am preaching in June on the psalms. I continue to be struck by how the psalmists praise God over and over for His role in bringing down evil nations and saving the oppressed. The contrast between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this earth is striking. But this is the case, not just for Israel but for us today. And God is still working in the economic and political arenas to bring down the wicked, and the Kingdom of God will ultimately provide peace and prosperity for all.

I preached about that yesterday - using an illustration of geopolitics as it relates to the oil and food shortages in the world. I was influenced by an article my husband emailed me called "The Geopolitics of $130 Oil" by George Friedman. He writes that as a result of these shortages, shifts in power and relationships are occurring all over the world - in Russia, China, Iran Iraq, USA. I begged the question could God be working in the oil crisis to diminish conflicts, where the lion may be laying down with the lamb so that people and nations can survive? Could it be that God has tripped a wire in geopolitics to realign power to His will?

One member thought I was too political in my sermon. Perhaps because I named nations. But the psalmists were very political. Quoting from Psalm 9, I agreed with King David from the pulpit that under God's rule, the wicked will be voted out, destroyed, by God. Maybe not Hittites, or Jebusites (God has already wiped them out) but I can and did name nations that might not be around in the end, that oppress other nations today. If we carry the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other, we read that human geopolitics intersect with the Kingdom of God. And we must reflect on where God is in it all. Otherwise in our thinking God is One who cares only about our personal needs. But His word tells us he is Lord over all the nations, all the people and leaders of the world, and will save the oppressed, and judge them all for their deeds.

Jesus said it too in today's gospel: ⁷"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; ⁴⁸when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. ⁴⁹So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous ⁵⁰and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Yet I hear, "Don't go there, Pastor." Paul would relate to that warning, as he heard from his critics. Yet he takes the risk when he responds in Galatians today: ¹⁰Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

The Jesus I serve was political. The gospel is very political when you get down to it. And we live in a world where everything is political. Where the globe is smaller and international politics and economics and struggles affect us here and now. Yet the gospel is also the truth that saves and restores, transforms nations and people - hearts, souls, minds, political systems. It disrupts the haves and gives hope to the have nots. Only if every nation would bow to the King of all nations, Jesus, the Christ. Then all the people of the world could be praising the Lord for his blessings, rather than starving to death or struggling to fill their gas tanks.

Esther is One to Watch

2008-05-19T08:25:00.002-04:00

Our Covenant Groups are reading Esther this week. Everyone knows the story of Esther. Especially if you're Jewish, or Christians raised in Sunday School, and attended a VBS. Don't hear about her preached much. If you've preached on Esther I would love to hear about it.

Anyway, I preached on her story yesterday, on the well-known verses of 4:11-17. Juxtaposed with Romans 8:26-32, the challenge for us all was to remember that God is working all the time to bring about good when others might intend evil. Having to risk death facing the King to save her people, I asked the congregation, "How was she gonna get out of this one?" I asked us all the same question. The answer is, of course - by the sovereignty of the God, who in his fullness as the Trinity, is working in us and through us to bring his purposes to bear on earth. We all face dilemmas of life or death, as the hidden God places us somewhere, "for such a time as this." Esther is honored for her courage and selflessness, in heeding the call to save her people: "If I die, I die."

After the service, a member came to me with another thought about the message. In so many words, he offered that God might also be calling us "for such a time as this" simply to experience God's delight. Wow! I thought about that - and though we don't know how Esther FELT after it was all over, knowing what we know about God, I can imagine that she was smiling, and happy, and delighting in her people. And with God.

I can tend to take myself pretty seriously. OK, yes, I can be very intense. I can overdo the need to save a situation. God knows the world needs saving and as a Christian, I don't take that lightly. But in the midst of all that, I will consider whether God might be calling me to a life or LAUGH situation, where I can say, "If I die laughing, I die laughing."

Is it time to have more JOY in the Lord?

Feel free to post any ideas!

First Thoughts Lectionary April 30, 2008

2008-05-01T10:37:00.002-04:00

Morning: Psalm 147:12-20
Daniel 7:9-14
Hebrews 2:5-18
Matthew 28:16-20
Evening: Psalm 113:1-9

Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. (Hebrew 2:18).

When asked lately, "How are you doing?", I've been answering, "God is sovereign." That covers everything without going into the details of my life. Some know more than others about the details of my life - that's the way it always is, right? But everyone relates to the reality that things don't always go the way you think they should. That we suffer in this life. That people we love are hurting or dying. That we get confused and angry and upset, and can't explain it all away. Yep. The right answer for us reformed Christians to all this is God is sovereign.

And yet I love also the words from Hebrews this morning, when asked how I'm doing: Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. This brings God's sovereignty close and personal in Jesus. Jesus who was often misunderstood; Jesus who suffered grief over a dead friend; Jesus who got angry and upset with his own; Jesus who didn't have a place to lay his head. This Jesus is sovereign over my life because he understands and suffers it with me. In his divinity He empathizes and yet is sovereign over all suffering. He rose against it and over it.

And as my human Savior, Jesus also suffered temptation - to lash out and be bitter. To retaliate and deny it. To avoid the suffering. The temptation to run away. The comfort in these words is that over these temptations Jesus is also sovereign. He can help me use my gifts to build up. He can help me direct my anger toward just causes. He can help me remember that God made me and gave me specific gifts to be the pastor I'm supposed to be. That no one shapes my call but Jesus. He can help me forgive. Jesus helps me stay put when my suffering in ministry would tempt me to run for the hills. The Spirit is very near to me in times of trouble.

Thanks be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is sovereign over all.

Covenant Group Bible Study reflections April 17, 2008

2008-04-17T08:17:00.003-04:00

South-Broadland (the PC(USA) church I serve) has been reading through the Bible together in small covenant groups since last October. There are 9 diverse groups, with a total of 88 participants (almost half the members on the books), men and women, teens to senior adults, black and white, who made a covenant to read the Bible every day and complete the reading in one year. I preach each week on a text in the readings. The groups then meet weekly to discuss and pray and discern what God is telling them in community. All but 1 elder is in a group (schedule difficulties); all the active deacons participate in a group. We are currently marching through II Chronicles.

It's amazing how God has been speaking to us through the Holy Spirit's as we are faithful to the discipline of reading God's word. Without reading and entering deep into God's story for and with God's people, we would be stuck with just our own limited, flawed perspective on God's love, God's purposes and God's people. The Bible would remain a "Sunday only" tool for faith and life, where now it is truly "a living word" for us. The challenges we have faced this past year as a church have been difficult, but discernment has been more complete because we are reading the word together and applying God's principles to matters of stewardship, discipline, nominating, discipleship, mission, and so on. Often in session meetings or conversations, one can hear a scripture quoted that was read that week. And it's not just by the minister!

I wish all Christians, especially those who lead and guide us, would covenant to do the same when they agree to serve. All committees, task forces, commissions, staff, at all levels of leadership would devote most of their time to reading the word together. This is exactly what our denomination has recommended in the PUP report that came out in 2006: to search the word of God together, in prayer and openness, and listen to where God is leading.

This is how South-Broadland chose to grow deeper in faith, unity, purity, peace and mission, as we seek our future and discern our core values and essentials for our life together, under Christ. We are learning to see each other as God sees us. We are beginning to shift our vision for the church outward. Our children are seeing us with the word of God in our hands at home. We have become kinder, bolder, and yet more restless to be more than an institution. We are asking more questions about God's purpose for us. We are exercising grace and forgiveness in ways we never have before. And we are growing in wisdom, not just knowledge. It is a beautiful thing to be in the midst of this movement of the Holy Spirit.

connecting from the heart March 19 2008

2008-03-19T08:47:00.004-04:00

My husband and I just returned from 2 weeks in Hawaii, part of which we spent with my husband's half brothers and step Mom. Ron's nephew was married on a beach on Oahu and I was able to officiate, in flip flops no less!

As a pastor, I was apprehensive about the effectiveness of my role in this - conducting pre-marriage counseling long distance for a couple I didn't know that well. And they told me they were not Christian, but believed in God. They had known each other just over a year. None of Ron's brothers are married - leaving behind them a string of broken relationships. And their own family dynamic is - to say the least - tense and competitive. Our nephew's role models were anything but helpful. So when the marriage inventory was returned to me, sure enough, I discovered there were many things this young couple needed to address, and frankly would have suggested they put off the wedding until we could talk. But tickets were purchased, the plans were underway. And they committed to a 3 hour session after we were together. So the wedding was on. I prayed God would do the work in overtime.

The Lord gave me the gift of time after all - I learned more about them just hanging out in the rental house together the 5 days before the counseling. And they learned more about the Lord as well as we lived our faith and shared our perspective on love and life as Christians. Not Bible thumping, but light-hearted, authentic living under God, modeling forbearance and truth-telling, and kindness with each other. (My husband is the kindest, most grace-filled man, who honors me for my strength and always seeks to know what's in my heart.)

As the Declaration of Marriage states in the wedding ceremony in the Book of Common Worship, in spite of our own ups and downs in the journey of love these last 22 years, our marriage indeed was a testimony to God's covenant with us, to God's heart, grace and forgiveness to these men who had lived lives of broken relationships, unfinished business, and dysfunction. We could share how much God had changed us, grown us, molded us together.

When I finally sat down with the couple, being present to the pain and brokenness, listening to their hearts, and discovering their love and commitment to breaking the cycle of their families of origin, it gave me hope. When we practiced active listening and conflict resolution together, it reminded me how often people don't invest the time in the hard work of relationship. They eagerly received the new tools when many settle for tenuous tolerance, dig in with their differences, and miss the heart of the relationship. I was given hope that patterns of behavior CAN be transformed by the renewal of minds and hearts. Hope that if we really care about the other person, we can set aside our pre-conceived ideas and get to the heart of the other, see them as God sees them. This young couple chose to see the good in each other, and at his young age, our nephew could see the difference between self-protecting, destructive and punitive behavior he'd lived with his whole life, rooted in fear and acted out in power-plays, and see his bride-to-be as Solomon saw his lover. I tell you, it was music to my ears, a balm to the discouragement and misunderstandings I feel sometimes in my ministry. It affirmed my calling to partner with God in REAL transformation, not just talking the talk, minding the rules, tolerating differences. This experience was God's gift to my heart.

First Thoughts February 26, 2008

2008-02-26T07:44:00.003-05:00

Morning: Psalm 146:1-10
Genesis 45:1-15
1 Corinthians 7:32-40
Mark 6:1-13
Evening: Psalm 91:1-16

I am reading a book, called Jesus, Mean and Wild, The Unexpected Love of an Untamable God, by Mark Galli. One Presbyterian Pastor said this about the Jesus in the book: "I want to know this Jesus, though he scares me a little" (Rev. John Ortberg, Menlo Park PC). The author challenges assumptions that Jesus was always nice. Always kind, soft-spoken, merciful, friendly, tolerant and inclusive. At the end of the book, I came to see that following Jesus is demanding and very difficult, as he leads us deeper into the way of love that would confront, and disturb, even as we show mercy and grace. Jesus' love is a "persistent, fearsome, untamed love." This Jesus scares me a bit too.

I reread Chapter 14 this past week, "Harsh Tutors of Love." It is about the relationship between fear and love. Galli exposes Jesus as a teacher that would get fired today in the classroom, put under scrutiny by his overseers. He used shame (Mk 8:38), threats (Matt 13:40-43) and even physical force (John 2:14-15) to make his points. He was misunderstood, and discounted by those who did not like or want to hear what he said. In today's gospel, his authority and teachings were questioned, and his reflection on the issue was to recall Old Testament prophets' plight: they had no power in their own house and he was amazed at the unbelief among his own. Then he sends out his 12 to do as he did - teach and prophesy, heal and call for repentance, teaching his disciples to stir up some dust before those who would not listen, and move on. Not exactly polite and tolerant. No "teacher of the year awards" for these fellas.

Jesus could scare the beejeebers out of people, and he teaches us to do the same? I don't know about you, but the few times I have tried that, or been on the receiving end of the same, it has not been very comfortable for me or anyone else. People think we're stirring up trouble. But I see three things: if we are to follow Jesus with conviction, we'll stir up some dust. Second, I need to accept I have blind spots and a lot to learn about God's love; I admit I have eaten a lot of dust myself. And third, perfect love must include both truth and grace. In this way, perfect love casts out fear. Herein is the dilemma. How is fear useful to love among Christians who disagree?

Gallie quotes Augustine in his explanation of the relationship between love and fear. Augustine argued when it comes to eternal matters, it was useful for Jesus to instill in listeners the fear of judgment and eternal punishment (Luke 12:4-5), because he loved the people he came to save from damnation. He put the fear of God in them out of love. The good news is: the more we fall in love with Jesus, the less we fear condemnation, for he has cast out fear and damnation with his grace and his truth. Truth and grace, hand in hand. It is difficult to love like Jesus, mean and wild, without fear. But the alternative is tolerance and lackadaisical religion, which tell us there's nothing worth fearing.

Perfect love casts out fear. I have a long way to go to love perfectly. Joseph was pretty close as he welcomed his brothers without fear, filled with tears of joy after painful separation and evil plotting. Joseph's love of God moved him from fear to love, back to his brothers to talk and share life together again. After all he had been through, he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.(Gen. 45:16).

My fervent prayer for our churches, denomination and our Presbytery - for sisters and brothers with whom we disagree or, I daresay, fear, is that we grow deeper in love with God and seek God's ways through the word and prayer. And like Joseph, after all we have been through, may we come together and talk, moving from fear to love and sharing the wild and untamed love of Jesus with each other and the world. If it disturbs us all, then we know the Spirit is up to something. But fear not, God goes with us.

First Thoughts on the Lectionary, February 18, 2008

2008-02-18T08:30:00.004-05:00

Morning: Psalm 145:1-21
Genesis 41:46-57
1 Corinthians 4:8-20 (21)
Mark 3:7-19a
Evening: Psalm 6:1-10

Our Covenant Groups have been following the grumbling Israelites through the wilderness, and their attitude is downright contagious. I have never been more tempted to grumble myself than since I was called to the ministry; we're big time grumblers in the church, Amen? I confess I get sucked up in it. And it always causes more trouble. That was the gist of my sermon yesterday. I told my congregation,

Well, if you want to stumble in your relationships, in your Christian walk, if you want to upset God, aggravate and depress other people, and hinder the Holy Spirit, if you want to live life in a bad mood, all you’ve got to do is open your big mouths and grumble.

I concluded that grumbling is the resulting behavior of rebellion against authority. I spent many hours as I prepared this message in repentance. Ouch.

However in reading and meditating on the psalms, I have discovered what grumbling is NOT. It is not being honest before the Lord, our God about our worries and fears, our doubts and even our disappointments with God over the course of our life. Sickness, poverty, shame, sin. When real life smacks us in the face, when we're struggling with direction and temptations, we're not just supposed to "suck it up," and act nice-nice. I daresay, we cannot.

What we can do is lay it all out before the Lord, no hold outs, trusting that God is all-powerful to take it all on. That makes our moaning, sighing, our silence and debating, a holy lament rather than a defeatist and self-centered bitch session.The psalmist again:

Psalm 6:1-10

¹O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,or discipline me in your wrath.²Be gracious to me, for I am languishing; O LORD,O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror. ³My soul also is struck with terror,while you, O LORD—how long? ⁴Turn, O LORD, save my life; deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love. ⁵For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise? ⁶I am weary with my moaning; every night I flood my bed with tears; I drench my couch with my weeping.⁷My eyes waste away because of grief; they grow weak because of all my foes. ⁸Depart from me, all you workers of evil, for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping. ⁹The LORD has heard my supplication; the LORD accepts my prayer.

In the center of this lament is The Lord. Grumbling gets us in trouble when bitch to anyone but God first. When we doubt God's power over our circumstances. That's why Joseph's brothers threw him in the pit. That's why Israel stayed in permanent time out in the wilderness. That's what Paul kept warning his churches about. That's why we blow up at the people we love, get irritated at the store clerk, we get arrogant. Grumbling is a poor witness to the world who God knows, has tried to run the universe on its own power. And when we believe the universe revolves around us.

The psalmist brings me out of my grumbling and back to the wonder of God's power, whose greatness is beyond my circumstances:

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable.⁴One generation shall laud your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.⁵On the glorious splendor of your majesty,

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

Instead of grumble at the world, let's rumble for the Lord! (sorry that's really corny...)

They Did the Right Thing

2008-02-14T11:12:00.003-05:00

I read with gratitude and thankfulness about the recent decisions issued February 11 by the GAPJC over ordination standards. 2 years after PUP, and many cases later that tested its scope, the GAPJC has ruled that no ordaining body (session or presbytery) has the right to ordain a candidate who is in violation of constitutional standards, including the "Fidelity and Chastity" standard expressed in the Book of Order (G-6.0106b). With these new GAPJC rulings, standards for ordination in the PC(USA) continue to reflect the clear teaching of Scripture on issues of sexual conduct and the plain meaning of our constitution. Praise God!

This is clearly what I and others have been saying all along: the PUP report and the scruples allowed do NOT extend to behavior, however, it has always been obvious no one understood that. There was so much fuzziness on how to apply this report. I was one of over 25 pastors who objected publicly to the PUP report and this was why. Now we have been redeemed. And so has the PC(USA) in this matter.

After PUP came out, as a member of CPM, and in my discussion with the former Moderator of our presbytery's CPM about this issue, I vehemently but in love argued with him in several calls, emails and blogs of the necessity to examine behavior AND belief in light of PUP. I was told we should not go there unless we had reason to. We handled the examinations simply by asking if the candidate had any scruples with any of the standards, without really talking about what the standards are. We did conduct an extensive review of the "essentials of reformed faith," but never launched a discussion together as an examining body about standards of conduct on sexual behaviors. Therefore we had no standard to agree upon. And I'm sure there are those on CPM past and present, who have lobbied against the fidelity and chastity standard. Some on the committee know of churches who have violated the standard. Some have turned blind eyes to it themselves. Shame on us. Shame on me. I should have brought it up. But I didn't.

I was a coward to lay myself out in front of my brothers and sisters over this - many of my colleagues were being thrown in the pit over it. I confess, I have been a wimp in my presbytery, which has not been graceful in its confrontations. So I am grateful to have the GAPJC now on my side of the fence with many, many others who have struggled for a voice on this matter. Maybe I'll have the courage to speak up in love now and question the candidates on behavior and on their pastoral care to sexually broken people. A pastor needs to pastor to this brokenness, not shove it under the rug. I want colleagues in ministry who love the broken among us, and still have the courage to stand for holiness when confronted with sexual - call it what it is - SIN. Apparently the GAPJC agrees, even if they can't use the word, sin.

I'l take it as they ruled. Thanks be to our Holy God for these holy decisions.

First Thoughts Daily Scriptures February 12, 2008

2008-02-12T07:49:00.000-05:00

Morning: Psalm 146:1-10
Genesis 37:12-24
1 Corinthians 1:20-31
Mark 1:14-28
Evening: Psalm 91:1-16

Everything you want to know about the evil side of human nature you can see play out on the playground of any school in the world: watching bullies pick on the little guys, who were minding their own business. My kids all had some sort of encounter with bullies. Sometimes, they were the victim. Other times their friends were. In every case, everyone was afraid of them. So most kids watched the tactics play out from behind the fence until a teacher broke it up - maybe.

But once in awhile, a kid like Rueben in the Joseph story, would risk the wrath of the bully, and talk him into backing down, and some terrified kid was spared from a bloody nose or worse. Until the next time...

Bullies come in all sizes, shapes and entities. People, systems, institutions, governments, groups. Whenever the stronger wields power over the weak for the good of the strong, you have a bully in your midst. The so-calIed strong by position, or knowledge, in number, wealth, popularity. The strong who have claimed position and dug in, gathering others to stay behind them, lest he turn on them. Strong who draw lines in the sand for self-protection. Joseph in the Genesis account was the brother who tried to cross the line and initiate reconciliation in hope and love, but the brothers were plotting his death. And ALL his brothers were responsible for his plight - even the ones who remained silent. Sounds familiar.

I can't help but think of all that's happening on the PC(USA) play ground right now: churches and sessions and ministers are getting thrown in the pit to be left for dead by their own brothers and sisters, for minding their business, and following their conscience, for trying to uphold what is good and pure and holy against the waywardness within the family. Bullied into complying with a broken system that alienates them, with administrative commissions made up their brothers and sisters who have spent more energy and time plotting evil than reaching out. Losing their property, their sessions and their voice as they shout from the bottom of the pit for help and no one is listening.

That's how I see it - watching from behind the fence with others who have yet to speak up and really take on the bullying. I call it bullying because I am uneasy - yes I guess I can say afraid of some of my brothers and sisters. I guess you could call this blog, my fence. How sad is that?

And then I am encouraged by Paul's reminder in I Corinthians today: ²⁶Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; ²⁸God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, ²⁹so that no one might boast in the presence of God. ³⁰He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, ³¹in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

And in the gospel I meet the apostles Peter and Andrew, James and John behind my fence and we show each other our empty nets. Every last one of the disciples LEFT EVERYTHING behind as they followed Jesus:their livelihood, family, any position they had in the community. Property. Gone. And with that, Jesus told them HE would remove any unclean spirits from their midst. Jesus will reduce whatever is to what is not - and lift up the lowly. I am praying that those of you in the pit or behind the fence will find comfort and strength, for the Lord is with you. And me.

God will pull us from the pit. God promised to take care of us, with or without property or sessions or ordination. God's Kingdom is bigger than the denomination and God will deliver us from all that, if it is his will. God promised peace, unity and purity under the shadow of HIS wings, when the shadow of the church's polity becomes ominous. And God will remove the evil spirits from our midst.

Psalm 91:⁴Those who love me, I will deliver; I will protect those who know my name. ¹⁵When they call to me, I will answer them;I will be with them in trouble, I will rescue them and honor them.¹⁶With long life I will satisfy them, and show them my salvation.

One last thing. Pray for the bullies. God also seeks them to come under the shadow of His wings. It is only there that God can reconcile us all.

First Thoughts Daily Readings Feb 7, 2008

2008-02-07T08:10:00.000-05:00

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

2008-02-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

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.

First Thoughts Bible readings February 1, 2008

2008-01-31T09:23:00.001-05:00

Morning: Psalm 147:12-20
Genesis 16:15-17:14
Hebrews 10:1-10
John 5:30-47
Evening: Psalm 116:1-19

As our Covenant Groups at South-Broadland continue in our "Into the Word, Into the World" daily Bible readings and weekly discussion groups, it has occurred to me that we can all get off on reading the Bible together, growing in fellowship, and excited about what we're learning. But Jesus distinguishes between assenting to what the scriptures testify about him, and actually receiving Jesus into our life. Jesus puts it this way in John's gospel:

³⁹"You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that testify on my behalf. ⁴⁰Yet you refuse to come to me to have life."

How easy it is to refuse to come to Jesus, while we proclaim God. We can come to church, teach Sunday school, lead a small group, even tithe. We can preach the gospel, and pray. We can quote scripture, chapter and verse. But unless we "come to Jesus," surrender all we are to this relationship, it's all rubbish, as Paul would call it.

Yes, the scriptures tell me that. But it ain't nothin' unless I come clean with Jesus about my own life. Coming to Jesus for me, means active participation in what Christ did for me. Coming to Jesus is a giving up myself to take on Jesus' life - giving up my schedule and agenda, a bad habit, or attitude. And a taking on God's will, not my own. That can be a vocation, a relationship, a commitment to my church, accountability for my shortcomings, responsibility for my actions. Coming to Jesus is coming to grips with how sin is real in me, not just in the bad boys and girls in the Bible, and I'm dead to it without Jesus. Coming to Jesus is coming to God.

Coming to Jesus also means to me that I believe in the person and the work of the Holy Spirit, and even though I'm terrified about what the Spirit might do in and through me, I come anyway. Coming to Jesus is letting the Spirit have his way, knowing I couldn't even come to Jesus at all without Him. Coming to Jesus means my life will never be the same old, same old. Coming to Jesus, my friends, is much more than assent. It's the difference between life and death.

In reading Psalm 116, it is to me a fitting litany for coming to Jesus. Say it out loud, and let the Holy Spirit make the words alive in you, as the Lord hears your cry. Come to Jesus:

¹I love the LORD, because he has heard

my voice and my supplications.

²Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

³The snares of death encompassed me;

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

I suffered distress and anguish.

⁴Then I called on the name of the LORD:

"O LORD, I pray, save my life!"

⁵Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;

our God is merciful.

⁶The LORD protects the simple;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

⁷Return, O my soul, to your rest,

for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

⁸For you have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

⁹I walk before the LORD

in the land of the living.

¹⁰I kept my faith, even when I said,

"I am greatly afflicted";

¹¹I said in my consternation,

"Everyone is a liar."

¹²What shall I return to the LORD

for all his bounty to me?

¹³I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD,

¹⁴I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of his faithful ones.

¹⁶O LORD, I am your servant;

I am your servant, the child of your serving girl.

You have loosed my bonds.

¹⁷I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice

and call on the name of the LORD.

¹⁸I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

¹⁹in the courts of the house of the LORD,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

¹⁷I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice

and call on the name of the LORD.

¹⁸I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

¹⁹in the courts of the house of the LORD,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

First Thoughts January 30, 2008

2008-01-30T08:10:00.000-05:00

Morning: Psalm 147:1-11
Genesis 16:1-14
Hebrews 9:15-28
John 5:19-29
Evening: Psalm 91:1-16
¹⁰His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;

¹¹but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love.

How these words comfort me today as I consider how limited I am, in matters of life and faith. Discerning God's will for my life, settling disputes, loving the unlovely. I am guilty like the rest of us for not praying enough, trusting enough, loving enough, forgiving enough. Certainly, I need to take better care of my body - resting and exercise, nutrition. Add to that the temptation to compare ourselves with others - and it can be down right discouraging.

But that's what Satan would have us believe. "You're not ____ enough."

Then come the words of the psalmist.

I will delight in the Lord today as one of his beloved. In his steadfast love is my strength for today and my hope for tomorrow. He's already taken care of yesterday.

Amen.

First Thoughts on the Scriptures January 29, 2008

2008-01-29T08:06:00.000-05:00

Morning: Psalm 146:1-10
Genesis 15:1-11, 17-21
Hebrews 9:1-14
John 5:1-18
Evening: Psalm 99:1-9

In reading the gospel today, I got a new slant on the invalid by the pool. I had always read this story as another miracle of Jesus - attesting to his signs and wonders and the unmerited grace toward the least of these, and of course another episode of stirring up trouble with the Pharisees. I had seen the poor, marginalized invalid, always overpowered by the sick and lame rushing to the healing waters of the pool. I remember somewhere it was believed the first one in got healed, so the stampede always left him trampled in the dust, eating dirt. Jesus takes pity on him and heals him on the spot in front of everyone, and then disappears. Just like Jesus.

Today, I was struck by the encounter the invalid, now healed, had with Jesus in the temple later. ⁴Later Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, "See, you have been made well! Do not sin any more, so that nothing worse happens to you." ¹⁵^{It stirs some questions for me, and leads me to an radical conclusion. What was his sin? Was it unbelief? I'm not convinced of that, because Jesus healed others without faith but never called that sin. Was it something he'd done in the past? It was a popular notion that sin caused sickness - we remember everyone wanting to know what sin the blind man or his family had committed that made him blind. But the Bible dismisses that as the unilateral reason for all illnesses.

I think that perhaps Jesus knew the man better than we did. He was and still is - a sinner. He was still engaged in some kind of sin against God, or others, or both. Don't know what it is. Nor did John. But Jesus seemed to know.

The uncomfortable part of this story is that Jesus might choose to heal someone of one thing, but will not let us off the hook for sin. He will call us on it, if we are listening and if we care. Just because we go to church, and praise God for our blessings (I assume that's why the now healed man was at the temple), doesn't mean we have surrendered everything to God, and turned away from sin in our lives. In fact, some remain in denial and outright defiance about sinful lifestyles, and still testify to God's goodness to them and give God glory in the church. That's dangerous.

It's true, God CAN show mercy on whomever He pleases - but God will NOT tolerate sin. Jesus knew what it was and called the man on it. It's easy to get hung up on the Pharisees' hard hearts and legalism about the Sabbath, but what about us? We who spend the Sabbath at church but don't deal with the sin in our lives? In our families? In our churches? Attitudes of anger, immorality, greed, pride, power, denial, irresponsibility, unkindness, unforgiveness, you-name-it. Just because we can now walk, doesn't mean we won't be cut off at the knees again someday by God. Jesus warns us - deal with that sin in your life.

That starts with not making any more excuse}^{s. Especially to the church.

The psalmist today also reminds us that God shows mercy and will also deal with our sins, because he is holy:}

⁸O LORD our God, you answered them;

you were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

⁹Extol the LORD our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for the LORD our God is holy.

First Thoughts on the Scriptures January 28 2008

2008-01-28T08:19:00.000-05:00

Morning: Psalm 145:1-21
Genesis 14:(1-7) 8-24
Hebrews 8:1-13
John 4:43-54
Evening: Psalm 47:1-9

I appreciated the psalms today. Reminders of how big and cosmic, how eternal is my God. I need that because I get wrapped up in my own problems and intercessions, my thanksgivings for my simple and not-so-simple blessings. I am grateful for the mercy God has shown me, in Christ. Yes, I know by faith that God cares about every hair on my head, about my sins, and has come near me, has forgiven me. I know and believe that Jesus died for me and that I have eternal life with God. The writer of Hebrews also reminds me of God's love for me: ¹²For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." I am grateful for what God has done FOR ME, now and for eternity.

But the psalms humble me too, to see that God cares about every hair on EVERYONE's head. Every peasant and every ruler in every land, the rich and poor, men, women, children, from the beginning of time, through the present and into the future. Everyone - wayward or obedient, Christian, Jew, Muslim or not. A cosmic eternal, sovereign God love me and loves you, and loves everyone. And wants us for His own.

Like the royal official in Johns' gospel, who did not have the Law - was not part of the promise or the covenant made with Abraham. Don't know what religion if any he had. But he believed in miracles only Jesus could do. He knew Jesus first by faith, and then through experience, but not from knowledge, or following the Law, or belonging to a religious group. Jesus healed his son - a sign to confirm what the official already suspected, I imagine. And at that moment, he believed for sure, and the official became a part of the "new covenant", rooted in person of Christ alone.

I reflect on the Hebrews text, and it says to me that for all people in every nation and religion, certainly first for the Jews according to the word, there is ONE God, manifested in Jesus Christ. There is one high priest, and intercessor, one miracle-worker, one Savior. Jesus. Belonging to God, sharing in the Covenant, is manifested in a personal relationship with him, at once particular, and at the same time, cosmic and eternal.

For though God "found fault" with Israel, though Israel could never be purified or fully atoned with sacrifices and priestly work, God had a more excellent way - Jesus Christ. The same blessing I have in Christ has ALWAYS been available to Israel, and to all the people of the world, yesterday, today and tomorrow. But there will be a time when God will bring it all to an end. And some will still not believe the signs and wonders, the truth, to their peril.

This fuels my mission as a minister of Jesus Christ. I pray that all will come to "know" him personally, for in Jesus is their hope and salvation. I believe I am called to minister this truth to all, in love, as God so loved the world. To proclaim the exclusive covenant God made with us in Christ alone. This is the truth that transcends all other religious knowledge or practices - even Christian practice and doctrine. It is the truth that extends beyond me or you - our blessings and miracles, even our own iniquities. This is the truth that Jesus Christ alone, is the high priest of heaven and Lord of all.

Psalm 47: God is king over the nations; God sits on his holy throne.⁹The princes of the peoples gather as the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; he is highly exalted.

Thanks be to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit - LORD of all.

Sunday Rest - first thoughts January 27 2008

2008-01-27T08:15:00.000-05:00

I've been on study leave since Wednesday, in part to get caught up on reading, to plan Lent and Easter services, consider a long range planning process for SBPC. We call it study leave, but for me this leave has also been a Sabbath of sorts. More like a week of Sundays, lived in Old Testament obedience, like we're reading about now in our Covenant Groups. I've been trying to keep these Sabbath days holy - with worship and the word, sleeping late, a nap or two, reconnecting with my family, plus deeper reading and prayer. A time for rest, from the phone, email, church, housework. That was the plan for my week of Sundays.

It's been interrupted somewhat - a granddaughter rushed to the emergency room, a personnel issue at a ministry I serve as board chair, caring for my ill mother, comforting a few discouraged folks.

But I've also been able to listen carefully to the Lord. He has spoken to me through the word - Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Numbers as I review the 10 commandments, the purity laws, and marvel at the precision and beauty of the tabernacle. I have heard the Lord as Israel wandered and grumbled in frustration toward the Promised Land. God has spoken to me through the interruptions. God has spoken to me in my dreams and my doubts, in my inquiries and my worries. God has spoken through my husband and God has spoken to me through my flesh. God has spoken to me in the silence, and in the thunder. God has spoken to me in my fatigue. And this is what God is telling me.

I will have no other gods before ME - not the church, not the blessings or your disappointments, not your friends or family. Not your gifts or passions or your dreams for your church. I desire first that you rest in me. And only then can I get your attention.

I am also hearing God telling me, I am God and you are not. I will provide. I was struck by Moses, always insecure and tired and discouraged as he led the people out of Egypt. But God provided instruction and signs and others to help. The Israelites were enslaved and constantly pursued by the enemy, but God always went before them. They were near death more than once, and God always provided food and light and protection. They were stiff-necked and rebellious, and most of them never made it to Canaan, but the next generation did. Leaders died and God raised up new ones. Promise fulfilled. Presence assured. Power Divine. God's way.

I realize I am weary carrying my dreams and responsibilities, plans and decisions, even in my loving, with too little resting in God. I will finish my Sabbath leave, and I know God will grant me more rest, more love and more direction for the future.

God knows the plans He has for me and you and the church - to prosper not to harm...Jer. 29:11.

Genesis Bible reading first thoughts January 10 2008

2008-01-10T09:22:00.000-05:00

On January 1 our Covenant Groups resumed meeting after Christmas breaks, and began reading Genesis. We started our groups reading last October with the New Testament and finished up December 31 in Revelation. Now we start back at the beginning. My last post shared the fruits of our extraordinary journey through the word together. Now we get into the saga of Israel - and meet the "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob", as God of the Old Testament has been labeled.

But God is also the God of Sarah and Rebekah, Rachel and Dinah. God is the God of all the servants of these patriarchs, their wives and children. God is God of all the nations and even the enemies of Israel, who follow other gods. As we read we must not forget the encounters these people had with God, and their stories that complete the full understanding of the scope of awesome God's love and promise.

My husband in his reading in Genesis this week was struck by the story in Genesis 24 of Abraham's oldest and beloved servant, whom Abraham sent to find a wife for his son Isaac. Ron was struck by the servant's faithfulness and obedience, his courage and tenacity, his devotion to God and his master and his spiritual disciplines. He was taken by his love.

Look what he discovered: 22:9 He took a solemn oath to follow Abraham's instructions. He trusted God who sent an angel to lead and protect his journey (verses 6-8). In verse 11, he made all bow to God in reverence. In verse 12 he began his duty in prayer, "O Lord God of my Master, give me success and show kindness to Abraham." He prayed for his master, his duty and his success. He was diplomatic and respectful with Rebekah's family. He gave God the glory for his success when he found Rebekah in verse 26. He never asked for anything in return - he had the best interest of others first and foremost. And he must have been trustworthy and safe, for Rebekah went with him back to Isaac; he brought her to Isaac himself. I imagine he stood near them, beeming, as Isaac made her his wife, for "he loved her very much, and she was comfort to him after the death of his mother." The perfect mate.

My husband found the story very romantic - remembering the God who had brought us together through friends and circumstances 22 years ago. Friends who cared about us and wanted the best for us. Servants really who are part of our love story. There are only a few like this in the Bible stories - who complete the love story, smaller characters, used by God. Only a few who have obedience and others' well-being as their only motives. Who are for God, and not against Him. It is not so with many other characters we meet on the pages of the Old Testament. It is not always so in our own lives.

May we discover the real and faithful servants in our lives - who follow God and lead us straight into the arms of God and others who would help us grow in faith, love and devotion to our Great Lover.

holiday musings november 26 07

2007-11-26T07:16:00.000-05:00

It's been awhile since I posted. Got a little compulsive about blogging there for a time, so I took a holiday from blogging. Got a little political from time to time too - sorry. But as a former seminary professor told me once, "everything's political," so guess I can't avoid that. Faith and conscience and church and work and life - all meshed together in a politically religious experience...(?)

Anyway, I actually feel some kind of cyber-connection in the process of posting that I've missed. My son has begun a PhD at University of Texas on how the Internet and electronic communication has influenced rhetoric and relationships. At least that's what I think he's doing. He'll have to comment more about it...How 'bout it, Will?

I stopped sending lectionary thoughts for a time, not because I'm not reading scripture, but because I'm deferring to the leaders in our covenant groups to do that. We have over half of our congregation in small groups, reading the Bible together every week. I'm preaching each week on one of the week's passages. The leaders are sending their own messages and thoughts out every week, and I don't want to influence the groups' discernment. Isn't a preacher's job, in large part, to excite people to read all about it themselves, to wrestle with meaning and application and grow personally as well as corporately? So, I've stepped back - but I do miss everyone. The word connects us no matter the media.

Amazing things are happening in these groups. The older folks amaze me the most. 90 year olds who have been in church all their lives but NEVER talked about their faith, or questioned the Bible - they're talking and asking and weeping and loving it, thanks to 2 compassionate leaders who are coaxing them out of a frozen chosen state of faith. We have 6-8 black teens in a group and the leaders tell me, they're getting real with each other about their fears and brokenness. The missional spirit is bubbling up and is mostly spontaneous. One of our praise band members showed up at 97 year old Elsie's home to do some repairs. The men's group have begun quarterly "Undie Sundays" to solicit new underwear donations for a men's rescue mission. Another adopted a family for Christmas and still another will be selling fair trade coffee and other items to raise money for missions and new windows in the church. Black and white, young and old, are engaged together in the word. I could go on.

What I see in these groups is the church being the church. When all hell is breaking loose in the institutions (there I go being political again), the fruit of the Spirit is evident in the very diverse believers at South-Broadland PC. It's evident in the worship every single Sunday. And it is such an encouragement to this pastor to see how they are learning to love each other more and more, and are finding ways to love others. It's real, it's simple, and it's possible, if we leaders would just let the church be the church, however the Spirit leads them. For the Spirit is blowing outside the doors of our properties and writing new pages in our rule book. It's simple - they will know we are Christians by our love. They are teaching me a lot.

Stewardship Sermon October 28, 2007

2007-10-29T06:40:00.001-05:00

For those interested, this is the sermon I preached yesterday on stewardship. The text was from Luke about the destitute widow. I began the sermon with a narrative of the story. God's blessings on your hearts and your stewardship efforts.

All or Nothing…and Everything in Between October 28, 2007

Rev. Lyn Olson

South-Broadland Presbyterian Church

Luke 20:45-21:4

The woman looks around for something to eat, but there is nothing in her cupboard. The dingy room she’s been renting since she her husband died is cold, and her lamp is dark – there is no more oil. Clutching a small, dirty cloth purse, the woman rises and draws her ragged cloak around her in preparation for her long walk to the Temple. She makes her way alone.

Entering the Temple, she shuffles past the wealthy men into the Court of Women, where the temple treasury is. She’s early, but there are already lots of people there to make their offerings. Knowing part of this offering is for the poor, she self-consciously pushes a lock of hair back under her head scarf, and smoothing her rumpled skirt, she finds her seat among the other widows.

Her eyes follow a large commotion and she sees the Jewish teachers enter, long white robes flowing with fringes grazing the floor. They await their share of the offerings too, payment for their teaching. She recognizes them from the marketplace, where they walk past her, to meet with important people there. These men do not notice her – they haven’t since she lost her house and went on the dole. But she notices them now – sitting front and center on the bench by the ark that contains the sacred scrolls.

From the shadows of her place, she also sees another man in the Temple– dressed modestly, gathered with other common men. They don’t see her either, for they’re all staring at the religious teachers, while the man is talking in earnest. She overhears him say, “Beware…” but she can’t make out the rest. “I think that man talking is called Jesus,” she ponders. She’s seen him too in the marketplace, teaching about the Kingdom of God. She remembers her children flocked to him one day. He’s the one who turned over the money tables in the temple. She remembers, “I’ve seen the other teachers glare at him and raise their fists at him.”

Soon, it’s time to do what she had come to do. She carefully fingers the 2 small copper coins in her hand. She rises and goes to one of the trumpet-shaped collection boxes, and gets in line behind some people in fancy clothes. The rich ones drop fists full of money in the box. And then, she drops in her last 2 coins. They barely make a sound as they land in the money box.

As she scurries back to the women’s section, she feels Jesus staring at her. She comes close enough to hear him tell his disciples, “Look here – this poor widow has given MORE than the rest – for they have given a gift out of their wealth and she, destitute, has given all she has to live on.”

This is a true story, recorded in both Mark12:41-44 and here in Luke. It’s an important story for Christians. If it wasn’t important it wouldn’t be in the Bible and Jesus wouldn’t be telling it. It teaches us this stewardship season, that all of us – rich and poor and everyone in between – are to come to this Temple to give money to God.

And the age old issue is – how much do each of us give? Well, for some of you, the issue is, will you pledge at all? I’ll be honest with you. I don’t like to beg for money. I don’t want to tell you how much to give. The finance team doesn’t either. We can come up with catchy slogans. We can lay guilt trips on you to counteract all the valid excuses we hear about your money, and tithing and your opinions about how to run the church. Truth is, I don’t like to talk about money anymore than you do.

But let me tell you something. Jesus had NO problem talking about money. He had no problem getting angry over the misuse of temple funds. He made it a point that day in the Temple that his disciples pay attention to this issue of money. He also told the disciples that day, punishment would come for those who robbed God and others (verse 47).

And so as I commit to follow Jesus, as my Lord and Savior and as your pastor, I too will talk about money today. Not just because God needs it – which he does since God has called us to partner in Kingdom purposes with our time and talents AND OUR MONEY. But we shall talk about money also because God loves us and wants us to become like Him - generous people.

This stewardship system is an enterprise that is biblical. And it is an enterprise that God is watching very closely.

First, let’s take a look at our enterprise at SBPC. Like the Old Testament Temple system, and into the early church, there are salaries to pay: your Pastor, Family Ministry and youth leaders, and scribes (secretary). Like the Temple leaders rebuilt and maintained the stones and mortar, we must maintain this 33,000 square feet of building and 11 acres of land. There are programs costs for Christian education and congregational fellowship and care – Bibles, hymnals, Sunday School lessons for over 35 kids and 15+ youth, and now 90 adults in Covenant groups. There are 200 members to care for. There are worship costs: 3 paid musicians, instruments, candles and communion cups, music and sound equipment.

And God’s enterprise requires we give a portion of our offerings to the poor and needy. Deuteronomy 15:10-11: 10 Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the LORD your God will bless you in everything you do.11 There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need.

Jesus in the gospels, especially Luke, was greatly concerned with the poor. “Blessed be the poor, for they shall inherit the Kingdom.” This poor widow depended on the Temple for her livelihood. But apparently the system missed her and others, as her home was “swallowed up” (Greek word) by a self-serving system that neglected her in favor of other priorities.

We must not let that happen as we consider our budget and our giving. There are 2 ways: Presbyterian mission pledge to support the denomination’s local and global missions, where we can participate with thousands of congregations to leverage our giving, and a local benevolence fund that provides for our own members who are needy. People in this congregation have received monetary support, and all of them have also given to this church. But our giving to the poor and needy is small compared to our other expenses.

And so, we the rich and the poor, and the in between, come to time of year to make our pledge to support the cost of being the church: spreading the good news of Jesus, and serving the community. Our working budget for 2008 is $319,000, only slightly higher than last year. Last year 84 households pledged $248,000, and though we received some miscellaneous income, we had to dip into reserves to balance the budget. Truth is, we have for several years. For 2008 we are seeking 100 households to pledge $300,000 toward this budget so we do not have to depend on dwindling reserves. It’s a bold goal, but the Bible tells us how to reach it. I see three lessons in giving in today’s story.

First, our giving must be proportionate to what God has given us. How much we give is related to how much we have. Look around you. Not everyone here makes the same amount of money. Some don’t have a paycheck at all, or have very little, like our widow. Some of you are on fixed incomes. God has blessed some greater than others.

The Old Testament guideline is the first 10% of whatever one have goes to the Temple. Giving a tithe or 10% of whatever you have is proportionate giving. But the New Testament goes beyond the tithe. In our story today, Jesus notices the proportion of the gift, not the amount. This widow was destitute. Yet, she gave 100%. Her gift was proportionately greater than all of them. To us Jesus says, in Luke 12:48: “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”

Paul reiterates this principle to the Corinthian church: "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income..." (1 Corinthians 16:2). That is proportionate giving.//

The second lesson in Christian giving is that it’s sacrificial.

I once had a pastor who told of playing golf with a wealthy parishioner who had never pledged to the church before. After some friendly discussion, at the 18^th hole, the pastor asked him to make a pledge. The man pulled his checkbook out of his golf bag, and wrote the church a check for $10,000, right on the spot, without blinking an eye. The Pastor looked at him and said, “That’s not enough.” The man bewildered, said, “Not enough? It’s more than you asked and I bet more than anyone else has given you!” The pastor said, “Maybe so, but as far as YOUR giving is concerned, how much did it hurt?”

Have you ever given until it hurt? I know I’m messing with you about this.// But, do we give until it disturbs our comforts? Are we making the hard decisions about the use of our money that allows us to be more generous with whatever we have?

Or are we just making excuses? "Someday when I have more time" or "When I’ve reached my goals" or “I have too much debt,” “I’m on a fixed income.” “I’ve already given my share.” “I don’t trust the church.” “It’s too hard…” “I’ve already made my will.” If we all thought like that, then what will we tell those in need? How would we keep these doors open, pay our people, minister to the sick and dying, gather here together, teach and preach about the love of Jesus, serve this community, if everyone thought like that?

Did Jesus withhold his love as he was dying? No. As a pauper, dying on the cross, he sacrificed everything, for you and for me. You will share in his inheritance for eternity! What is our response to that? An excuse?

This brings us to the 3^rd lesson in Christian giving from this text. Christian giving is faith-filled giving. Faith-filled giving has as its motive love and gratitude, not money. Not out of duty. Not for recognition. Not in guilt, or to leverage power and control. Faith-filled giving expects nothing in return.

Faith-filled giving requires a willingness to give the last dime, even though God might not demand it of you. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 8:12 – “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.”

Faith-filled giving is not foolish – you have responsibilities to your family – and Jesus himself in Mark 7 reminded the disciples that one must not neglect the responsibilities of family for a religious vow. Curious, huh? But faith-filled giving recognizes God will take care of you, as no doubt the widow believed as she dropped her last coins in the box. Faith-filled giving means you believe your small gift DOES matter. Get this: If 100 households gave only 1% more of their income - and those of you who have never pledged, started there – this church would make it’s budget for the first time without using dwindling reserves. For a $40,000 household income, that’s only about $8 a week. Small gifts given in faith can matter!

But friends, we can crunch numbers all day long. I won’t tell you how much to give. I have rather let God’s word and God’s Spirit tell you today.

Yet, I will encourage you in your prayers as you consider the stewardship of your lives and to this church, knowing that the sacrifice you will be making in faith will be seen by the God who has given you everything. Pledging what you are able, no gift is too small, no gift is too large, when given proportionately, sacrificially, and in faith. For God is Lord in plenty and in want, and everything in between.

This next week, you will receive a pledge card in the mail. We are asking that you COMMIT. COMMIT to give in 2008 and we will make November 11 a celebration of faith and generosity in this Temple. Begin with a tithe of whatever you have, and guess what? You can keep the 90%!

To say Amen, Helen Bishop would like to share her testimony about why she gives to SBPC.

random thoughts about stewardship

2007-10-29T05:55:00.000-05:00

You know what time it is? It's stewardship season at the church. The time of year when we preachers reluctantly climb into the pulpit and inspire the faithful to re-up their pledge for another year. I admit through the years as a lay person, I sat through many an appeal for money and responded sometimes with irritation, sometimes with guilt, often with duty.

There are many excuses we can make not to give to the church. I have too much debt. I already gave. I lost my pledge card. I have a family to raise. I've used them all myself. But at the end of the day, I remember Jesus gave no excuses for going to the cross. He did not hold out on me. He gave up his life for me. Why would I respond to him with an excuse? In this season of my life and faith, I can say I am now responding with gratitude. This year, I am preaching with joy about money, and giving with the same spirit.

Easy for me to say. I BELIEVE. I think at the root of poor stewardship, may be unbelief. At the core of abundant stewardship is belief. I mean the kind of belief that changes your life and your thoughts and your will and your priorities, in gratitude for what Jesus did for us. If people don't believe it, or understand it - how can giving to the Lord mean anything? And if they do not hear it, how can they come to believe? And if they don't believe how can they follow Jesus, and be changed? Classic Paul in Romans 10, who also asks, and who will preach it?

Perhaps we should do a better job as preachers and believers helping people get to know our generous God, and inviting them by faith into a relationship with Him through Jesus. To understand the risk involved in disobedience, but the grace that God offers so freely. God's entire enterprise has always been about stewardship of grace and provision as well as truth and discipline. And God's essential character is generous.

Stewardship then is an attitude of the heart and will and character molded around God's heart and will and character, that becomes a lifestyle, not just an annual campaign. For you preachers out there, preach the love and hope of Christ all year round! Offer an invitation to your flock to receive Jesus all year round. Pray for the Holy Spirit to have His way with God's Word and the hearts of the people all year round.

And turn our stewardship campaigns into celebrations of faith and gratitude and generosity.

a rambling thought when discipleship get weary

2007-10-17T06:20:00.000-04:00

I have been restless these last few nights, thinking of my church - the people I love and the plans we're making, stewardship season, nominations, personnel changes, and budgets. In the mix are the broken hearts, minds and bodies I minister to in love.

I have also been thinking a lot about how we can be more missional in our attitudes and actions as we "do" church. I believe one way is simply to mention the name Jesus, as we come along side our friends and co-workers, family and neighbors. To muster the words "God lives," and "Jesus saves," with our words and deeds. To offer to pray with someone, simple prayers of love and care and joy, in the name of Jesus. It all sounds simple, but I see the terror in people's eyes as I encourage them to go for it.

Not able to sleep past 4:30 this morning, I pulled up my emails. One was from a dear member who attached a commentary from Ben Stein, comedian, delivered on CBS Morning Show some years back. It struck me today as I considered why we don't talk about Jesus more "out there." Bear with me, as I post excerpts. Ben Stein writes:

I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.... I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica [or obsess over Britany's latest bad behavior] and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Bill y Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her "How could God let something lik e this Happen?" (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?" (She said the same thing when interviewed after 9-11).

Well, I say (Lyn now) God said he will leave us to ourselves. It's all over the biblical witness. And yes, God is slow to anger, but God is not tolerant when God's name and will is mocked or silenced, especially by God's people. Eventually, we who call Jesus Lord and believe God is the Creator of the Universe, and the Holy Spirit lives in us, will be held accountable for our political correctness about the God we profess.

As Christians when we have the courage to speak up as a believer in God, and as Jesus as Lord of all, we’ll be persecuted; that’s what Jesus and Paul meant by persecution and suffering. We WILL suffer for Jesus when we call out His name against the tide of political correctness. I wish more of us had that courage. Jesus has a difficult plan for us: to spread the good news in season and out, in good times and bad, at the risk of our lives and reputation and rejection.

But at the end of the day, our profession of faith will change the world. Because Jesus is the hope for the world. God so loved the word that He sent Him to the whole world.

Why wouldn’t we take the hit so the world can know? Are we too politically correct to be disciples at all?

daily readings first thoughts sept 24 2007

2007-09-24T07:44:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 57:1-11
2 Kings 5:1-19
1 Corinthians 4:8-21
Matthew 5:21-26
Evening: Psalm 85:1-13

We Christians can behave badly when we mean well. When I consider the diverse spiritual gifts God has given the church - discernment, wisdom, exhortation, faith, prayer, helps, knowledge, teaching, preaching, mercy to name a few, intended to build up the church - I've watched as we have abused the gifts God has given us. Sometimes we have exploited them for gain. Sometimes we have used them to intimidate. Sometimes we have arrogantly given one gift glory over another. Often we have neglected some all together.

We mean well, protecting the peace, unity and purity of the church, and then we sometimes turn these gifts on each other in the process. I believe Paul was reminding us we are to exercise these gifts with love, patience, gentleness, kindness, forbearance, knowing the first may be last, and the strong may be weak, as we discipline and exhort and disagree. We have a higher calling than our institutions and our positions, our wealth, our power. It's as fools for Christ.

As it did in Corinth, we can forget why we exist. It is not for ourselves that God equips us. It is for the broken world, to serve as partners of the gospel OUT THERE, not just inside. Yes, we must read the Bible and pray together inside, learn to get along as the body of Christ. We must do our best to imitate Christ inside the doors and out, but also remember that God is the judge of all of our misunderstandings and wrong-doings. We leave judgment to Him (and he WILL judge us all), and keep our eye on the reason we exist. Have we forgotten that?

With all the divisions going on in our denomination - in the entire western church - and the heartbreak of some who are leaving us, I believe in the interest of the peace, unity and purity of the church, Jesus is telling us in today's gospel, and Paul too in his letter, when we all behave badly we must be reconciled to each other. Then settle disputes quickly, perhaps letting some go, encouraging others, so that we can get on with what God has gifted us to do. I see judgment for all of us if we do not: Jesus said, ²But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, 'You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire.

Let's be fools for Christ together, as we seek God's will for the church universal, and for our place in it as a denomination. And to those to whom I have behaved badly, let's do lunch. I am paying.

daily scriptures first thoughts sept 19 2007

2007-09-19T08:11:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 15:1-5
1 Kings 22:1-28
1 Corinthians 2:1-13
Matthew 4:18-25
Evening: Psalm 48:1-14

Good old Paul. A fellow-preacher he was. I would have liked to hear him preach. I know his message was sound - but I often wonder about the delivery. Did he mumble, punctuating his phrases with "uh"...? Did he have an irritating, squeaky voice? Did he wander around or stay put? Did he use a manuscript, or preach off the top of his head? Did he get the butterflies every time he preached? Seems like he wasn't that great of a preacher, to hear him tell it. He was a smart guy, loved God, yet Paul says abut his ministry of the gospel, ³And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling...without lofty words or wisdom.

Even with all that training. Even with preaching classes I imagine, and homiletics courses. Even though he was top in his class, aced his ordinations exams, was well-known by all the religious big wigs...he preached the gospel in weakness, with fear and trembling.

I relate. Whenever the doors were open I was at church. I made lots of money telling people things - selling stuff, running a business, marrying well. I did well at Princeton seminary, and was affirmed in my pastoral instincts and worship. I'm not the smartest in the pack, but I have always held my own.

But every time I read, prepare and preach the word, I am overwhelmed how much I do not completely understand. I am compelled to seek deeper truth than I can muster on my own. Then, during the reading and then preparation, and yes, in the preaching moment, I am stunned by the power of the Holy Spirit, Who comes though me. I realize Paul is absolutely right when he says:

Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. ¹³And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual.

How humbling it is to remember that like Paul, we do not preach ourselves, but Christ crucified. For me, it means setting aside a claim or position that would assure me of my power and influence, and with fear and trembling, preach what God has given me through His Spirit. I am definitely learning the difference between my wisdom, the world's wisdom, the institution's wisdom and the Spirit's wisdom. Sometimes they are in synche; many times they are not. And often I'm caught in the middle of "the wisdom of this age," and God's eternal Wisdom, "secret and hidden."

Thanks to God His Spirit is in me to preach it - greater than he who is in the world. And out of my mumbling mouth, from the depths of God's Spirit in me, comes His truth, in spite of my weaknesses and ignorance, and even misspoken words. May all of us who preach and teach the word of God be able to say:

My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God.

And may all who hear the word, come to see the hidden and secret, eternal wisdom of God.

daily scriptures first thoughts september 14 2007

2007-09-14T08:10:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 51:1-12
1 Kings 18:20-40
Philippians 3:1-16
Matthew 3:1-12
Evening: Psalm 142:1-7

I am grateful that God gives us a new day, and a perspective of time. To look back and remember. To live in the present. To hope for the future. If I were stuck in only one dimension of time, I would despair, or at the very least be like a hamster on a wheel. As it is, God has created us with a past, a present and future - God has created us for eternity, and has always been with us. The peace I have about all this is that this eternity is with Jesus, who redeemed me and made things in all time, right with God. My past is cleansed, my present is purposeful, and my future is assured to be with God forever. Life doesn't get much better than that. The psalmist prays in Psalm 51:

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. ⁹Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.

And so God has.

Still, we live "in the flesh" in the "not yet." Memories of the old me living within the new me, bring sadness and regret, and humility. Paul revisited his past in his letter to the Philippians, and also in I Timothy:

If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: ⁵circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. ⁷Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ.

He is more remorseful in his rehearsal of his past in I Timothy, calling himself, formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and a man of violence. But he tells us in everything, we stand pardoned in our new humanity, sins forgotten, ready to meet the day as a servant of Christ, awaiting our future reunion with our redeemer.

O Happy Days! Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. Thanks be to God.

daily scripture first thoughts september 11 2007

2007-09-11T07:32:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 42:1-11
1 Kings 16:23-34
Philippians 1:12-30
Mark 16:1-8 (9-20)
Evening: Psalm 102:1-28

On this anniversary of 9/11, my husband has just landed at London's Heathrow airport for a business trip. I am anxious a bit, as I remember that we were separated 6 years ago on this day, on 9/11/01. I was at Princeton seminary and he was back in Overland Park, Kansas at work, when we watched the towers go down miles apart from each other. How I missed him and my children on that day, and the days that followed. Psalm 42 was on my heart back then - and it rises up from within me whenever I think of being separated from those I love and feel distant from God. When I heard and watched the terrorist world attack my country and my faith. When I listened to the explanations from some ambitious politicians and more than a few Christians explain the evil as God's wrath on America that made it even worse, while the world watched how we responded. And today, the evil is still with us, even though some of those voices are not. The grief is remembered.

As I kissed my husband goodbye yesterday, I was prompted by the Spirit to tell him to remember we are one in the Spirit, even though we are absent in the flesh, in the back of my mind thinking, "what if I never see him again?" But today, the Lord blessed me with Paul's letter to the Philippians, a letter of encouragement to those he was separated from, while in prison for the gospel.

The psalmist also reminds us that our hope is in the Lord alone, that he is the true source of our longing and our peace. No matter what happens to us - or those we love - peace and comfort, hope comes from God. God is the only One we can count on now and for eternity because of Jesus. Many I know this day are suffering for the gospel, with decisions of conscience; others face family struggles, poverty, depression, separation from loved ones, aging. I miss my husband this morning, and my 2 children who live in other cities. And I feel like Paul sometimes, risking to preach the grainy truth of the gospel, shedding light on the evil that is within us and that pursues us, knowing that I will sometimes be struck down, ridiculed. And sometimes, I will behave badly in it all while others are watching.

But Paul also assures me when he writes of the sovereignty of God and the power of God's word in all things: ¹⁸What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice...²⁷...live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that, whether I come and see you or am absent and hear about you, I will know that you are standing firm in one spirit, striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the gospel...

May the love of God and the peace of Christ and the fellowship of the Spirit be yours today as we remember 9/11 and proclaim the gospel in season and out.

daily scriptures first thoughts august 23 2007

2007-08-23T07:10:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 36:1-12
2 Samuel 19:1-23
Acts 24:1-23
Mark 12:28-34
Evening: Psalm 80:1-19

Jesus lived out the Law publicly and defended His faith in the one true God. Paul and all disciples since have done the same, as they followed Jesus. Jesus reminds us today in Mark's gospel that the first commandment for Christians of all stripes is to the one true God, to love God with heart, mind, soul strength - FIRST. To love and linger there before we love others. Learn from God about God and what matters to God. When I focus on loving God first, I realize there is only so much time and energy and strength for what else matters to God, which is to love my neighbor as my self. Should I say, as God loves me. Other things fall under this, flow from these 2 commandments.

And this I know as well. That when I give God the first fruits of all I am and have - time, talent, heart, mind, will, desires, and my attention, I see the world differently. I see my neighbor differently. I see my struggles differently. And I find my courage to love with justice and action and compassion and humility. Loving my neighbor looks differently many time,s depending upon how God has shed light light on the situation, and I am careful to discern how God wants me to love my neighbor. Do I give? Do I withhold? Do I flee? Do I defend? Do I speak? Do I listen? Do I rebuild? Do I let go? Do I engage? Do I detach? Do I confront? Do I accept confrontation? Love has many expressions and God gives us the rules of love and faith. This was the way Jesus loved.

May we look to God in Jesus first for the way of love.

daily scriptures first thoughts august 20 2007

2007-08-20T08:53:00.000-04:00

Psalm 135:1-21
2 Samuel 17:24-18:8
Acts 22:30-23:11
Mark 11:12-26
Psalm 97:1-12

In Mark's gospel Jesus makes the fig tree wither - from the inside out, from its root. The fig tree people have depended upon for fruit and nourishment. "It's not the season for figs," he says, and Jesus kills it. Next, he turns the robbers out of the temple, killing the enterprise of their religious institution. Then he calls the people of God to "have faith in God," and pray for all the nations. And he promises these prayers will be answered if there is no doubt about God's power. God's power alone.

I spent the last 5 days with over 1,000 PC(USA) Presbyterians at back-to-back conferences. One about reforming the denomination, from the inside out. The second fleshing out what it means to be missional, from the inside out. Many of the same people were at both.

I was lifted up at the second put on by a new movement called Presbyterian Global Fellowship. I attended last year at the first conference they held. I was renewed and restored there, for as some of you know, I have been hurt and discouraged by some of the actions in our Presbytery, and the responses to them, from all sides. It was a joy to be with pastors, elders from other Presbyteries, and Christians from all over the globe, who are joyful. Who are working together putting their prayers, energy and time in bringing the Kingdom to bear over all the nations, rather than wrangle about dominion. We spoke little about matters PC(USA), and heard about the fruit of missional hearts and minds in other places and Christian fellowships and ministries: Australia, the middle east, inner cities and suburbs, China, Mexico, Africa. How much bigger is the Kingdom than one Presbytery, or USA denomination! I know that, but I needed a witness, Amen!

In the context of mission to the world, Jesus says whatever we pray for, it will come to be, by faith in God, the Misseo Dei, the God who goes out and calls us out of what binds us. Sex slaves will be freed, their oppressors brought to justice, fresh water will reach thirsty people in Africa, India, there will be peace in the Gaza, the Chinese Christian church will continue to grow, the crack addicts will find hope, and fatherless children will be loved. It will happen by faith in God alone, not faith in any institution, no matter how much fruit it has born in the past. Perhaps it is no longer the season for denominations as we know them. I think God is providing new fruit for the missionaries of the gospel to feed upon, and it tastes sweet to me.

I was excited to be affirmed in many of the things we're doing at SBPC: small groups, covenanting to read the Bible, and fostering new partnerships in mission. What struck me more than anything was to be reminded that mission happens through investment in authentic relationships, reaching out to bless and eat with strangers, leaving the comfort zone, and letting the Lord kill what is no longer bearing fruit in ministry and in hearts. It happens by loving each other and the world, and loving and forgiving each other.

I gathered with Presbyterians who repented of our ignorance and arrogance, who are willing to let the Lord kill the roots of institutionalism, risk dying from the inside out, and trust God alone. I needed that and thank God for His grace and encouragement in the midst of my angst.

On another note, I know many, many people are reading this now from my blog stats. This blog is indeed a public forum, of sorts, and a kind of personal journal of the heart. It is not intended to be always rational, always correct, and always agreeable, because it is human. It is intended to be a place I can be honest about my pain and anger, as well as my joys and love of Jesus, and what I discern to be happening around me. Personal honesty is not always kind, as we see from Jesus' actions many times. As well as the disciples, who got it wrong more than once too. One of you suggested after I disclosed my feelings, that I wait and write my blog when I'm not so discouraged or tired and angry when I can misconstrue motives. I'm sorry if I have miscontrued anyone's motives who love Jesus. And I do write when I'm uplifted and filled with hope and joy and peace. I commend that reading to you as well.

But I will continue also to share my heart - misguided as some of you might believe it is. I regret deeply that the only time I ever hear from most of you is on my blog, mostly through anonymous comments when I'm being controversial, or perceived as divisive or wrong. You are attacking each other anonymously too on my blog. Meanwhile, there is no real reaching out going on to each other.

I'd love this to be a forum for sharing the love and hope of Christ together, and caring for each other once in awhile in the middle of cosmic change in our world, as we all wait the final coming of the Kingdom. Then we'll learn how much we all really missed the mark.

daily readings first thoughts august 10 2007

2007-08-10T09:05:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 84:1-12
2 Samuel 12:1-14
Acts 19:21-41
Mark 9:14-29
Evening: Psalm 25:1-22

I commend Acts reading to you all today. Paul and his companions are preaching the Way of Jesus in Macedonia, against other gods, and business is way down for all the makers of the silver idols of Artemis, a pagan god. And they're not happy. Diverting customers to Jesus away from the worship of Artemis, they've seen their long-standing business go down the tubes. There's a motive for them propping up this religion: money, power and a comfy lifestyle. They take action, hauling the Jesus believers into the consul, and not just a little commotion ensues. The city is "in confusion," over the conflict. "... some were shouting one thing, some another; for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together." (v.32).

I'm sorry, at the risk of getting into the state of affairs in the PC(USA) again, and my own standing in it, this reminds me of the very public wrangling in our denomination, when Presbytery assemblies are thrown into confusion over the issue of business in our denomination. I see this issue rooted in idolatry.

In our presbytery, there are some congregations among us are trying to follow "The Way," a narrow path unencumbered by bureaucracy, religious pluralism, and crumbling standards, to be accused of everything under the sun and outshouted in the assembly by those who are trying to protect the "business" of the denomination. It's all being done under the guise of protecting the peace, unity and purity of the church. Face it, business in the PC(USA) is way down: shrinking numbers and treasuries are a threat to those who have been part of this long-standing business. I'm not saying the business of the PC(USA) is to promote worship of other gods - we are rooted in Christ alone - but other gods seem to have crept into our practices. Property, rules, tradition, polity, positions, the PUP report...are these hand-hewn idols for some?

My congregation could care less about this confusion, as we are a bunch of joyfully undisciplined, disordered, big hearted lovers of Jesus, who are connected with the people Jesus loves and came to serve. They are not connected to the PC(USA) in spirit or heart, which is probably a big disappointment to the denomination's officials, and certainly a threat to me. For I have been told I am to try and make good Presbyterians out of them, and engage them in the Presbytery's assembly, so that they will also come to understand and protect the denomination's peace, unity and purity. But they are indifferent to arguing, and too busy praying, doing ministry, surviving, spreading the good news, doing Bible study, building Habitat houses, finding our missional identity in the greater church. Frankly, I do not want to be part of the diversion away from the "business" of the Spirit's move on us right now. I'm sure I will take some flack for that in the assembly, but I'm tired, and have only so much energy to carry on in my call to follow Jesus at SBPC.

In the meantime, no one from the presbytery has volunteered to come to pray with us, to worship with us, or share Christ with us. To discover the brokenness that exists in our neighborhoods, and ask how can we help you do ministry better? If someone comes, we do not want to talk about the condition of the PC(USA) right now or learn ways to save the business. We will pray and we're open to ways we can truly reach out to the lost in the name of Jesus Christ alone.

As Jesus told the disciples in the gospel today, some evil spirits can only come out through prayer. Let us pray.

daily scriptures frist thoughts august 7 2007

2007-08-07T08:47:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 12:1-8
2 Samuel 7:18-29
Acts 18:12-28
Mark 8:22-33
Evening: Psalm 36:1-12

Works in progress, we are in Christ. Good old Apollos was a work in progress indeed. A bold, eloquent preacher, a charismatic personality it seems. Well meaning, zealous and sincere, effective. But under-informed about Jesus. A work in progress, who was stopped from speaking until he was set straight about the fullness of Christ by companions Priscilla and Aquila about the baptism by the Holy Spirit. "There's more to this gospel than you're preaching, Apollos." He was pulled aside for a time for continuing education, and then off he went again, bolder, more informed. But first he was silenced.

So was Paul. In Acts, Paul was silenced before he could speak before the tribunal (Acts 18:14). In Mark's gospel today, after he healed the blind man, Jesus silenced him, sent him home instead of back out to the village as a witness. He silenced the disciples from talking about him as Messiah. Instead he told them whole truth about himself: suffering and death would follow him - Peter wanted to silence Jesus over that - but Jesus silenced him.

Though it is comforting to know that we still have a witness like they all did in spite of our incomplete knowledge of God, and Jesus, and the power of the Spirit, in spite of the fact that we prefer to avoid the suffering we do for Jesus, in spite of how we charge off willy nilly in our work, there is a time to be silent, and listen. A time to be silent and learn. A time to be silent and let wounds heal. A time to be silent and begin to let our lives be changed. A time to be silent and let the Lord tell us when and where and how we should go with the good news. When to speak and what to say. For the good news is bad news to those who "plot mischief while on their beds;they are set on a way that is not good; they do not reject evil." (Psalm 36:4). We need to be silent sometimes and let the Lord do battle, and pray.

The church is a work in progress, ever since the Spirit came upon the tiny band of under-informed disciples. Today there are so many voices telling us how to be church. I'm quite sure today, Jesus is telling this preacher, and possible to my small band of believers at my church, shut up and go home, rest awhile. Stay out of the public for a time and let me do the work. Let me teach you more and strengthen you and give you wisdom, and I'll move you out when it's time.

The psalmist says it like this: How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

⁸They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

⁹For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light we see light.

Go home, be still and know that God is with you.

daily scriptures first thoughts august 6 2007

2007-08-06T18:01:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 62:1-12
2 Samuel 7:1-17
Acts 18:1-11
Mark 8:11-21
Evening: Psalm 73:1-28

As I read Psalm 62, I remember the 15 minutes we took to be alone with God at Wyld Life camp last week with middle schoolers. It happened after all the high energy - ropes course, blobbing, tubing, relays swimming, biking, screaming girls and mischievous boys seeking their attention - you name it. These middle schoolers came to camp full of energy looking for a good time, but many with every sort of trouble, simple and not so simple burdens about identity, belonging, abandonment, full of shame, anger, fear. They couldn't speak it, but they came looking for a sign that there was a God, for a refuge from the pain and craziness of their young lives. To have fun and also find out that they were loved and forgiven. Many had no father, or discipline in their lives.

During the week, many took huge risks doing something they never thought they could do - like going for the trapeze at the end of the rope course, hooked up so they would not fall, but scared to death anyway. Then, on that last night, all of us went into the darkness alone to talk and listen to God. It's just what we needed after a jam packed week of bone-chilling adventure and never knowing what was next. The speaker had told us all week that God loved us, that Jesus was the way to connect to God. I believed it before I went into the night, but in the dark I heard Jesus tell me again, personally. Heard him call me home to quiet and peace and safety. In the quiet came the truth again I need to hear every day as I grab for the bar and hope I won't fall. The psalmist writes:

For God alone my soul waits in silence,

for my hope is from him.

⁶He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

⁷On God rests my deliverance and my honor;

my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

⁸Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Camp was a refuge.

The Pharisees were looking for signs that Jesus was divine, so they could nail him for blasphemy. He refused to give them a sign. But he did give signs to the disciples. Yet it took awhile for them to see and hear and remember. Sound familiar? Loaves and fishes, the feeding of thousands with a little, and they still did not understand everything God is, his power to make a way when there is no way. How soon we all forget.

At camp it could be some missed seeing and hearing the divine in the dark, or on the ropes course, bike trail, or basketball court, around the dining tables. But the signs of the divine were everywhere as after a time we saw smiles break out on the tough guy's face. When after 45 minutes of encouragement from new friends, the small, scared 7th grader finally jumped off the blob. The divine was there as a hug and a kind word from a leader reconciled feuding girls. In this place, they got to hang out with leaders who love Jesus and loved them like Jesus loved. Like Paul loved all the people wherever he went, hanging out with them, making tents and sharing stories about life and God and hope. As they hung out, they were changed. Leaders were modeling God's faithfulness and direction, and embodying God's words we read in 2 Samuel today: I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. ¹⁵But I will not take my steadfast love from him...In the darkness they heard God tell them, "I love you." With their leaders they experienced God's care and protection, and guidance. And sometimes, time out!

The divine was present during cabin time, when tears rolled down faces of campers and leaders alike, as they got real with God and each other. Signs were all over the place as the hills and lakes and stars shouted out to city kids who had never been out of the smoky hood. Signs and wonders came as we heard 5 of our young campers share their testimonies on Sunday. "I overcame my fear at camp," said one. "I learned I don't have to please anyone but God," says another. "I grew closer to God," said them all.

If you need a sign - look into the lives of kids who have just said "yes" to Jesus. Then go out into the dark, and listen.

daily readings first thoughts july 20 2007

2007-07-20T08:23:00.000-04:00

Psalm 51:1-19
1 Samuel 21:1-15
Acts 13:13-25
Mark 3:7-19a
Psalm 142:1-7

Psalm 51 ends with the plea from the psalmist to the Lord that the Lord open his lips so he can proclaim praise (v.15). That he give a sacrifice of praise, offered boldly by the broken, humble person before God. Humbled by his own fear and dependence upon God, broken by his sin, the psalmist is a pray-er seeking cleansing after God's own heart. And God heals him and restores him, protects him. And then gives him the voice of praise.

As I see it, the voice of praise is to be heard by a broken world. Heard by the enemies within our circle of relationships and certainly without. Praise when times get rough and pain and suffering lap at our heels, search for us when we try to flee. Even as David ran from his enemies, he praised the Lord. This was always God's purpose, to use those who have had a real experience with God to spread the good news. He uses those with little hope or power - to bring his own to bear on the world.

As Paul tells the whole story in Acts in this scripture today - he tells us how this happened, and in this amazing story to the curious and to the dangerous, he is praising the mighty works of God, who through this David, came a Savior to save us, to change our broken selves into a witness for his glory, a pure sacrifice, redeemed by Jesus. Our messy, fearful lives are made whole, perfect - for God's purposes in the world.

And so Jesus, continuing in God's plan, calls us restored but frail people, like he did the first 12, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, ¹⁵and to have authority to cast out demons (Mark 3:14-15). He calls us to take him to the streets.

I took Jesus to the streets this week - I asked a tiny, tatooed waitress at breakfast if I could pray for her as we prayed for our meal. She immediately responded with surprise, this wee bit of a girl, who had not seen the inside of my church or any for that matter anytime recently or at all for all I know, and she asked for prayer for her partner and her partner's father, who was as we spoke being prepped for brain surgery. My companion and I prayed their names. About an hour later she came back to the table, stunned by our boldness, telling us in the 6 yeas she had worked there and watched people pray over their meals, no one had EVER asked how they could pray for HER. She then testified to the peace she and her partner had experienced since we prayed. She had called her to share what had happened, and Jesus had come alongside all of them in a way I would never had imagined. But of course, I shouldn't have been surprised, for Jesus gave me this authority - to proclaim and cast out fearful demons, and bring peace where there is no peace. To the least of these. Duh.

I was to only be obedient with the gift of grace and voice of praise, and the new heart God had given me. In return he gave me the gift of a glimpse of a new heaven and a new earth.

I can't wait to see where he sends me next.

Daily readings first thoughts July 17 2007

2007-07-17T10:02:00.000-04:00

"We have never seen anything like this!"

Mark's gospel reading tells of the paralytic who was lowered through the roof of Jesus' crowded house by 4 friends who believed Jesus could heal him - and Jesus, seeing the effort they went to for their friend's cause, because of their faith, forgave his sins, which outraged the Pharisee scribes, and then healed his body, which caused those gathered to exclaim: "We have never seen anything like this!" Some said it in wonder, but the scribes did not. As my grandmother might have said when she was appalled by something, "Well, I never...!"

The scribes were upset; how disruptive this was! How messy all the roofing must have been falling on every one's heads. How chaotic and unorthodox Jesus was being! Everyone knows you come to church though the front door, and sit quietly, sing hymns and pray and confess, decently and in order, do not talk out or come and go, listen quietly, and then leave by the same way you came. I hear them in the pews of my Presbyterian church, when our service gets out of control with laughter and chatter, crying babies, and spontaneous altar calls, when people off the street wander in, drunk, or broke. When we share communion and coffee together in the sanctuary. When the Praise team really "brings it." I hear some say, "Well, I've never seen anything like this!"

In matters of faith, God sees the heart - as Jesus read the spirit of the scribes, who were missing the real action. God sees the heart of the true worshipper, of those seeking hope and salvation and purpose, and then who bust with love and compassion that they would bring others to Jesus wherever he can be found. And Jesus goes to the most unlikely places and does the most unorthodox things. Loving God and loving others is messy and dangerous. You could fall off the roof. Grace could fall on you. Your life can change. That's risky business, when we have everything in order the way we like it.

May we see the love and grace of God when it happens before our very eyes, and may we say, in adoration and praise, "We have never seen anything like this." Indeed, without the Spirit in us, we shall not have eyes to see Jesus as he really is, nor the willingness to bring others to him wherever his goes. That's discipleship with heart and action.

daily readings first thoughts july 10 2007

2007-07-10T08:25:00.000-04:00

1 Samuel 15:24-35

In this story, Saul had received instructions from the Lord through Samuel to wait 7 days for God's next commandment in his battle against the Amalekites. As 7 days come and go, he has become impatient waiting on God, and fearing he'd look foolish and weak to the people, he took matters into his own hands. He moves against them, messing with the Lord's instructions to completely destroy them and all their possessions, saving some for himself. He gets busted by Samuel, who tells him "to obey is better than sacrifice, to heed is better than the fat of the rams, for rebellion is sin... and arrogance, like idolatry." Saul confesses he has sinned and asks Samuel to stick with him, and restore him to the people so he can worship the Lord. But there is a self-serving motive for his "confession." He's about to lose his crown, and he needs Samuel to keep a good word for him with the Lord and the people. Samuel eventually leads Saul back to worship the Lord, but leaves him there, never to see him again. Saul is rejected by God as King, and Samuel as his friend.

Consequences to disobedience are grave, maybe not experienced in the moment but eventually levied. Though grace a bounds for us in Christ when we confess our waywardness, all of us are accountable to the Lord for how we keep faith with God's commandments. The ones that don't make sense, and seem irrelevant for our times. The commandments that are politically incorrect, or appear hard-nosed. The commandments that call for discipline and confrontation of wrongdoing that would render us unpopular. Commandments not to accept false teaching in the church, or mingle with other gods of our age. Commandments to be just and kind and fair to the weaker among us. Whenever our own motives are given higher standing than God's, God will hold us accountable.

One interesting thing I noted however in this reading, was about God's desire for our worship, no matter what. I think the author of Samuel was trying to say even as Samuel was banished from being King, that as we remember God's covenant, and the miracles of dead people coming to life and the terminally ill made well, and devils exorcised by Jesus and his followers, Saul was still allowed to return to worship the Lord. Warts and all, scarred and shamed, powerless, paranoid and pitiful before the people. But God is faithful and promised he would never break covenant with us weak in faith and slow to come to our senses. God always seeks our confession and our praise.

Carrying the consequences of my life, I enter in to worship the One who has forgiven everything I ever did. Praise to you, O Lord, for knowing the real me and loving me anyway. For redeeming me to live with you forever.

daily scriptures first thoughts july 9 2007

2007-07-09T08:52:00.001-04:00

Morning: Psalm 62:1-12
1 Samuel 15:1-3, 7-23
Acts 9:19b-31
Luke 23:44-56a
Evening: Psalm 73:1-28

As I read today's texts, my prayers go out to the persecuted church, where "the wicked have no pain" (Ps. 73), when in pride and arrogance, they inflict violence and oppression on those who hold steadfastly to Jesus as Lord. The church has always been fraught with oppression. We read today in Acts about Paul's narrow escapes at the hand of just a few and constant danger from the many powerful Jews and Greeks who opposed the gospel for disrupting the religious order and control.

Jesus is not spared death, as the remaining disciples' courage and power wane against the zealous crowds, and Jesus is laid to rest, dead and buried on the Jewish Sabbath.

And we watch and we wait and we pray from a safe distance, where it's easy to shake our heads and pray, or rant and rave in disgust, and it is quite another to take on the bullies ourselves. For that would cost us something, like fellowship with our neighbors who have joined the enemy, or reputation for being trouble-makers ourselves, or worse. How easy we are to be manipulated, when we too can turn on the weak with our apathy, so as to protect our fragile selves and own interests. Soon, like the crowds in the psalm, we can begin praising the oppressors, finding no fault in them, as long as they leave us alone. That's what bullies can do to good people.

It happens with our children who are too afraid to defend their little buddies on the playground. It happens when a whistle blower in the marketplace is threatened with losing their job. It happens when the media silences conservative Christians, portraying them as ignorant and judgmental. It's happening in the church to evangelicals and conservatives who proclaim Jesus as the only way to salvation in a pluralist world, who preach sexual purity, and uphold biblical standards for life and faith, who try to speak out only to be labeled rebellious schismatics. Sadly, many of them back down, or remain silent as they watch from the bleachers the few sisters and brothers battle falsehoods, over property rights and standing in their particular corner of the playground.

And then I read Luke's encouragement to the church in Acts, after Paul's harrowing oppression: ³¹Meanwhile the church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.

And for the disciples who in grief, had laid Jesus to rest, amidst their pain before the resurrection, received the gift of the Sabbath with God. Even as Jesus himself, commended his broken body and tormented spirit into the hands of the Father (Luke). And the psalmist's cry becomes ours when he says, Whom have I in heaven but You, God; nothing on earth I desire other than you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is my heart and my portion forever. For me it is good to be near God - I have made the Lord my refuge." (Ps.73). For God alone my soul waits in silence. From him comes my salvation.(Ps 63).

May the comfort of the Holy Spirit be with you all this day.

Spread the Word!

2007-07-02T09:19:00.000-04:00

I noticed my readership went up over 500% after my June 18 blog about the Heartland's action at Presbytery. My blog sitemeter stats showed the blogs went coast to coast like wildfire. I read the many, many comments from people I did not know. It seems sometimes we are all more interested in discord than Jesus. I think you who read this blog might consider also spreading the "good news" like wild fire, commenting on God's amazing grace and creativity and hope - even as you pass along and comment upon my opinions about the affairs of the denomination. Believe me, I think there's more to my heart and yours than that. There's Jesus and his heart for the WHOLE world.

I want to spread the good news of Jesus - Jesus, who heals all sins and reconciles all to God. The world is watching and waiting for something, Someone, to transcend all the brokenness we create, and the suffering and pain of this life.

Can we do that? Can we spread the Word? I'd like to hear it from y'all.

Sunday Thoughts July 1 2007

2007-07-01T19:32:00.000-04:00

Galatians 5:1, 13-25

After all that has been going on in my Presbytery, I daresay, the denomination, I needed a vacation. I took a week this past week, when we hosted my husband's three 1/2 brothers from Florida and California, whom he met for the first time 6 months ago. Their father , Roy Hampton, who died in 1996, was an artist and they found each other on the Internet through his art. This was a miracle of reconciliation that only God could have arranged. For 58 years my husband did not know he had these brothers, born after his mother and father divorced and both remarried. He was raised by a wonderful step-father who adopted him. We learned from these brothers that their father yearned to know what had happened to his first-born little boy. They had been looking for him for over 35 years. And now they are together as family, marveling at the Hampton traits they all share.

God was present in this reunion, and I was very aware of Him the whole week in simple ways. We shared Kansas City Jazz and blues, barbecue, art galleries, and gallons of coffee. Curious about my vocation, I had occasion to share the hope that lies within me to three men and a nephew who had never talked to a minister this long, let alone stay with one! We talked about Jesus with them - seekers at best, polite listeners at the very least. Our marriage witnessed God's covenant love to all of these single men. And the reunion testified that God will use anything to reconcile what is broken and lost. They set aside their lifelong tendencies to wrestle and compete, and deferred to good behavior and keeping peace and sharing their lives and hopes. We laughed and remembered and marveled.

But they taught me more than we could ever teach them about unconditional love and grace. They had no concerns really about what we believed, our politics or religion, really. Their eyes glazed over when I shared what was going on at our presbytery, and I felt foolish for the energy I had directed to the fray. It did not matter. What mattered was that what was lost had been found. And the fatted calf and broken bread we shared together were the sweetest I had ever tasted. I needed this at such a time in the life of our denomination, where quarrels and factions were the food I was consuming, and I was starving for real peace and unity. To have my heart engaged in REAL reconciliation was a balm for my soul, that has been battling the flesh. They were forthright about their lifelong battles as well, but we were bound by the grace of God - all of us. God was present and we have all been transformed. Paul sums it up for me in today's lectionary:²By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.

The Spirit blows where it will and it has blown through this family to show me what real love and commitment and connectedness feel like. They rose above their past and entered the future whole and intact, as new people. In their way, the Hampton boys understand the fruit of the Spirit even if they don't know Jesus, or Paul or polity or PUP. I thank God for His miracle of reconciliation, the wisdom to know the real thing when it comes along, and the courage to let go of everything else.

Word gets Around!

2007-06-22T08:35:00.000-04:00

I got a call last night late from a colleague I serve with on CPM (who voted for the amendment at Presbytery that I opposed). As a friend, which he is to me as well, he informed me that excerpts from my blog of June 18 were quoted in "The Layman." Someone had sent them the site, and it went from there.

I do not read the Layman - I do not like the, shall I say, "tone" of its rhetoric. No one from the Layman contacted me - I don't appreciate being represented as a spokesperson for them - though they quoted me correctly.

Such it is with blogs - you put it out there and you risk a publication like the Layman picking it up. But the blog is a way for me to say what I wanted without a 3 minute timer, or parliamentary procedure interrupting my train of thought. it might get me on some list, or in some "camp," but it was worth the risk to air my conscience.

By the way - hello back to all my classmates who have connected through this latest event in our Presbytery. Keep reading. Life and faith go on, thanks be to God.

Daily Readings First Thoughts June 22 2007

2007-06-22T07:41:00.000-04:00

Daily Lectionary:
Morning: Psalm 51:1-19
1 Samuel 3:1-21
Acts 2:37-47
Luke 21:5-19
Evening: Psalm 142:1-7

Last night our congregation began a season of prayer, called for by a faithful member of our church several weeks ago. Over a dozen responded to the first call to gather in the beautiful sanctuary to seek God's mission for our church. It was a beautiful movement of the Holy Spirit on our diverse band of believers and seekers, none of whom know much, if anything, about the events of the past weekend at Presbytery. We prayed for guidance for us to reach out to the poor and needy with the good news of Jesus. Several prayed scripture, asking for forgiveness, humility and boldness in our witness. Others prayed for our community, and the lost around us. We prayed in thanksgiving for our salvation and the gifts God has granted us. We prayed for resources and partnerships with other churches. We marveled at the true goose-bump experience of the Holy Spirit present with us in worship, and we rejoiced that many in that place had found the Lord at SBPC. Then as Samuel did, we children responded, Speak Lord, for your servant is listening (I Sam 3:10). By affirmation, our elder doing our devotion at session the same night had selected this text for us. God began to speak to us about unity.

Not unity in "right believing", or Presbyterian polity, but unity in relationships, service, and worship in the name of Jesus, that the Acts church had. Simple unity of presence to one another and unity in our mission to the world. You see, SBPC is a band of diverse believers, with very different church backgrounds and experience with the one true God. Very few have been Presbyterians until they joined us this past 5 years. We have 2 services: the "old guard" at 11:00 and the new members at the 9:00. We heard the Spirit calling us to "be all together in one place," gathered around the table and the word, and discerning together our mission. And so we are combining our 2 Sunday services into one - old and new members, old and young, praise band and choir. The other thing we will do is focus on the one thing - reading the Bible together, as we begin covenant groups in the fall, and then we will discover in small groups how each might serve the Lord. Our theme is "Into the Word, Into the world".

As I read today's texts, I was encouraged that the same Spirit that came upon the Acts 2 church has brought us back to the real meaning of unity and mission: ⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. ⁴³Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

SBPC is planning to focus on The One Thing - Jesus, and let God build up and destroy what He will, stone by stone (Luke 21:6). We will remember God's promises in his covenant to his people. In prayer, fellowship, worship, with humility and repentance, expectation and hope, we will seek only His face, and ask God to save us from this corrupt generation.(Acts 2:40). This is all this pastor and this extraordinary congregation can do, in such a time. Turn our eyes upon Jesus, and leave everything else up to God.

Daily Readings First Thoughts June 21 2007

2007-06-21T07:19:00.000-04:00

Daily Lectionary:
Morning: Psalm 97:1-12
1 Samuel 2:27-36
Acts 2:22-36
Luke 20:41-21:4
Evening: Psalm 16:1-11

I promise this will be short. I put to the readers the challenge to read all the scriptures today, and then ask yourselves - you Presbyterians, Methodists, Episcopalians, and all members of Christian institutions, covenant communities, or whatever you might call your overseeing body - "Who do you say is Lord?"

Is it your governing bodies? is it the ones who speak for you as you assemble, and in the marketplaces, media? Is it your pastor, or your Sunday school teacher, your professor, your Senator, your boss, your spouse? Who do you say knows all there is to know about everything, that you can throw your life on his/her cause and be saved?

The scribes and priests of Madison Avenue, Hollywood, Wall Street, Washington, and I daresay, Louisville, are not Lord. They sound good and may sometimes mean well, but bottom line is to gain, not to lose. And none of them can save you from pain, suffering, sin, or deceit. Please - please - please - read the word, pray, and let God guide you in faith and life, wisdom and discernment, letting the Holy Spirit give you the boldness to know the truth in all things, rooted in the One Lord of all - Jesus Christ. And follow him alone.

Daily Readings first thoughts June 18 2007

2007-06-19T08:35:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 42:1-11
1 Samuel 1:21-2:11
Acts 1:15-26
Luke 20:19-26
Evening: Psalm 102:1-28

The Heartland Presbytery meeting this past weekend was a source of grief and anger for me - contentious and tedious in its spirit, tentative in grace, and seasoned with pain. Decently and in order, friends and colleagues deliberated whether to form an Advisory Committee of Committee on Ministry that would immediately assume unilateral power over all sessions and congregations "considering" leaving the PC(USA). This was an action initiated by Council, through COM sparked by the explicit desires of 2 congregations to transfer to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church later this month, and another church who is reviewing their bylaws. I disagree with these congregations and their leaders to leave, but I was outraged by how the body voted to handle their decision. The body voted Yes to the action.

No matter that this denomination is in correspondence with the EPC. No matter that our polity already allows for and has procedures for withdrawals by pastors and churches. No matter that one member of the proposed AC was a retired pastor and dissenter from one of the 2 churches. No matter that 10 days or so before the churches had showed hospitality and met with the executive presbyter, members of council and COM who presented this motion, and spoken openly and "gracefully" about their desires and the issues.No matter that one church assured them they were NOT leaving the PC(USA), and the COM members assured them they would work together.

The motion passed gives the new AC total power and control to discern what "considering leaving" means and which congregation and pastor were to be put on "the list" over which they would assume immediate and total control, on their timing and terms. The action now puts ALL churches potentially at risk for McCarthy-like seizures should they be only exploring the options, examining the church, speaking their mind, becoming informed of what is happening in our times. It breeds secrecy, and paranoia, when we are free in Christ.

I listened to the presenter of the primary motion "speak to it," and before any debate, he set the tone of schism, separation, and "threat" by these congregations and implied deceit and misconduct by one church, without substantiating proof to the body. His rhetoric was anything but graceful - it was arrogant and designed to influence the body before discussion, and was a 180 to the tone of the prior discussions with these churches. I was reminded of the scribes and priests trying to trick Jesus with feigned humility and rhetoric, while laying in wait for them all along.

A substitute motion was proposed to form an AC only after withdrawal was explicit and after all other means to reconcile had been exhausted with the denomination, COM and presbytery officials, and the decision by the local congregation was final. To me, this followed more the spirit of our polity and of the PUP report - bottom up power, connected in pain and suffering, prayerful discernment when we disagree, and allowing God to be the Lord of the conscience. To me, it allowed the Barnabases and Pauls to go on their own way, trusting that the "true church" would never die. But the body preferred to give the AC immediate power. By an overwhelming margin, the substitute motion failed. The PC(USA), some think, is the "true church" and now we have the AC to enforce and protect it.

But in today's OT text, Hannah had it right when she prayed:

²"There is no Holy One like the LORD, no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. ³Talk no more so very proudly, let not arrogance come from your mouth; for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. ⁴The bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. ⁵Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread, but those who were hungry are fat with spoil. The barren has borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn. ⁶The LORD kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. ⁷The LORD makes poor and makes rich; he brings low, he also exalts. ⁸He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord's, and on them he has set the world.

⁹"He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness; for not by might does one prevail. ¹⁰The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered; the Most High will thunder in heaven. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed."

The church was faced with electing another apostle when Judas the betrayer, fled and died. Who are the betrayers in our Presbytery? It seems the new "powers that be," have branded any church who is struggling with their conscience and their commitment to a human institution led by humans, as betrayers. At the heart of the so-called betrayal is the property issue - well, I believe any of us who are truly seeking to be the "true church" could care less about property and would render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to the Lord what is the Lord's. All the Lord desires of us is faithfulness to the gospel, and to Christ alone. if we can stay connected and do that - fine. if not, some may have to leave.

To the Presbytery, should my church end up on a list when we were "considering" the state of affairs in the PC(USA) today, that would be it for me. And I hope and pray I would have the courage to say to the denomination, keep your stuff and let us go.

Maybe now I'll end up on the list.

Daily Scriptures First Thoughts June 7 2007

2007-06-07T08:47:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 143:1-12
Deuteronomy 16:18-20; 17:14-20
2 Corinthians 8:1-16
Luke 18:1-8
Evening: Psalm 81:1-16

We have a charismatic pastor of a mega church in town who is front page news. He's under investigation for his questionable money handling of the church's resources. Now the feds are on him, and some of his former members have been publicly critical of his "empire," while he emphatically denies any wrongdoing. It seems he's failed to disclose the books, accused of diverting money from one ministry to another, while driving fancy cars and living in a fine home. You know the drill. We read about this kind of financial misconduct all the time with corporations. But it's sad when a Christian leader is caught with his hand in the cookie jar of "creative accounting." And it's sadder yet, that the church has let it happen; some members are still defending the behavior - or at least denying that justice has been thwarted. Members who like the poor churches in Macedonia (2 Corinthians reading today) gave in generosity from their poverty. This is a justice issue, big time.

From my point of view, a mainline, female pastor, this church has other justice issues as well - barring women from leadership, and blasting the mainline churches from the pulpit - and their pastors by name - for being "apostate." It goes on from here - spiritual pride and arrogance, ego, power. Sad thing is, the man can preach. And he often gets it right about Jesus. But the behavior doesn't match up. We are called to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed, folks.

The Deuteronomy reading today anticipates the possibility that there will be unjust leaders, and so the law is clear. Read it for yourself:

⁸You shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes, in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall render just decisions for the people. ¹⁹You must not distort justice; you must not show partiality; and you must not accept bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. ²⁰Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

^17:14When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, "I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me," ¹⁵you may indeed set over you a king whom the LORD your God will choose. One of your own community you may set as king over you; you are not permitted to put a foreigner over you, who is not of your own community. ¹⁶Even so, he must not acquire many horses for himself, or return the people to Egypt in order to acquire more horses, since the LORD has said to you, "You must never return that way again." ¹⁷And he must not acquire many wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself. ¹⁸ When he has taken the throne of his kingdom, he shall have a copy of this law written for him in the presence of the levitical priests. ¹⁹It shall remain with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes, ²⁰neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel.

Ongoing accountability is crucial in the life of a leader, lest "his heart will turn away" from justice for all. This is the inevitable path of lust and desire that gets the best of even good humans: sin reigns and we become numb and blind to it. It becomes the reality, and we do everything to protect the gold and silver we have hoarded for ourselves. This is idolatry. It is rooted in pride and arrogance, and a belief that we are above God.

Contrast Paul who like Jesus, lived a poor life, humbled and generous in spirit - Paul writes, For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)

Rich in faith and justice and service and love, compassion and good works. With open books and open arms. Let it be with us who call on the Lord and are called by the Lord to lead to justice and prosperity for all.

Daily Scriptures, First Thoughts June 5 2007

2007-06-05T08:25:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 54:1-7
Deuteronomy 12:1-12
2 Corinthians 6:3-13 (14-7:1)
Luke 17:11-19
Evening: Psalm 28:1-9

I've missed blogging this past week as I returned to another era void of electronics for a few days: I took my 89 year old uncle and his new bride of 8 days, along with my mother, to Branson, Missouri. It was Uncle Bill and Rhoda's honeymoon trip. Their recent nuptials were a testimony to God's love and faithfulness, for at 89 years of age, my Uncle found love again after his wife of over 50 years died of Alzheimer's. Same with Rhoda - they met in a support group. It was also an encouragement for me to be with this man of God, who spoke often of the work of the Holy Spirit in his life and in the world. Though Branson may not be the promised land God promised Israel in Deuteronomy 12, it was a mecca for rejoicing, for God had brought us together there to celebrate love that surpasses understanding with this Abraham and Sarah of a couple, cooing in the back seat of our car, and kissing every chance they could get. The writer of Deuteronomy says it well: And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you together with your sons and your daughters...

Rejoice we did indeed.

My new Aunt Rhoda is a special treasure, getting to know me graciously and accepting us unconditionally. She has learned about grace in her life - she was frank about the addictions she overcame in her life, and like Paul writes in Corinthians: she spoke with frankness that conjured honesty and forthrightness in us all - no games or pretenses. She and Uncle Bill share a simple and gentle faith - easily lived out before us with affection toward us, as they gave God the glory for their love. And also like Paul, ²There is no restriction in our affections, but only in yours. ¹³In return—I speak as to children—open wide your hearts also.

This was the lesson God revealed to this child of God in Branson through their proclamation of Jesus: love never fails. Love rooted in Jesus is gentle and kind and overcomes all obstacles. Had Uncle Bill found a non-believer, perhaps they would not have shared God's part in their marriage - this is the consequence of unyoked marriages, that do not proclaim God.

Of the 10 lepers who received healing form Jesus, only one gave God the glory. In Branson, I imagine there are other honeymooners - but I was grateful to be with this one couple who gave God the glory. With every kiss resounding from the back seat, I thanked God for his love.

Daily Scriptures First Thoughts May 22 2007

2007-05-22T08:42:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 98:1-9
Ezekiel 7:10-15, 23b-27
Hebrews 6:13-20
Luke 10:1-17
Evening: Psalm 66:1-20

Jesus' words in Luke do not reconcile with the contemporary view of Jesus - who taught peace, love and kindness. Healed everyone. Gentle and compassionate. Most Christians have not read the Bible to learn all Jesus said - they do remember the good stories though. Yes, he did, call all unto him. But as he send the 70 disciples out, he spoke of judgment for those who do not heed the truth they brought:
¹⁰But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, ¹¹'Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.' ¹²I tell you, on that day it will be more tolerable for Sodom than for that town.

¹³'Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the deeds of power done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. ¹⁴But at the judgment it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon than for you. ¹⁵And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades.

¹⁶'Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.'"

It is not fashionable today to speak of the wrath of God, of the judgment awaiting us all, and the damnation for those who do not accept Jesus, who ushered in the Kingdom of God and has drawn near to save us and set us straight. We want to love everyone into feeling OK about what they believe, what they do, how they treat others, even if it doesn't include Jesus. Hebrews refers to Jesus as the only hope we have to be saved. The word hope used by Luke in Acts 26 means "a cord, a connection" - Jesus is the cord to God. Without the cord, we are doomed.

I believe that, because Jesus said so. Not because I'm a bigot or hate atheists or am a fundie whacko. I find it difficult to preach to a congregation that needs to hear "a good word" not fire and brimstone. But it's true; it is part of the truth of the gospel. The flip side. Even as Jesus cured and loved and showed kindness to all, as he died for everyone, even those who rejected him - it did not take the sentence of hell away for those who did not believe. Personally, it breaks my heart to have to preach that - to friends and family, who are outraged by a judging Jesus, a harsh exclusive religion.

But I wonder, what are people afraid of if they believed in the only One who could save them? What if Jesus was right?

Daily Scriptures First Thoughts May 21 2007

2007-05-21T08:05:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 97:1-12
Ezekiel 4:1-17
Hebrews 6:1-12
Luke 9:51-62
Evening: Psalm 124:1-8

It's Monday and my day off. For this pastor, it means sleeping late (at least 6:15 instead of 5:30), fixing my husband's breakfast for him (at least Mondays it's a hot breakfast...), laundry, visiting my mother, and shopping. I even try to take a break from this blog on Mondays, as one of my pastor friends encouraged me. Rest my brain and spirit, if you will.

I really enjoy the shopping part of my Mondays. There's a song from the musical "Carnival", that has lyrics that I sing to myself on Mondays as I breeze through TJ Maxx:

Break away
Kick your heels up and spend a day
Buy a new feather with figora bead
Buy yourself something you really don’t need
Something sweet like
Beautiful candy
Too pretty to eat

Treat yourself
To some dreams from the upper shelf
Buy something someone to kiss to produce
Something you’re sure is of no worthly use
Try a treat like"
Beautiful candy, to pretty to eat.

Stop living for reason
Time to start living for rhyme
I’m on a spree and I’m
Going to make sure it’s a perfectly good waste of time.

Sometimes, though, I feel it WAS a waste of time. I feel guilty when I think of all I could be doing for the Kingdom on my day off. I read the labels on the clothes I buy, and think about the sweat shops where they were manufactured. I always have more reading to catch up on - and I really should exercise so I can present a healthy body to God. Instead I go shopping.

I read the scriptures today, and wonder if, as in Hebrews I am producing only thistles on Mondays with my fall back to shopping, and should have done "things that belong to salvation." Jesus himself in Luke's reading today tells a questioning disciple, wanting to have it all, if you're following me, it's all or nothing; you're putting that all behind you - especially the beautiful candy no one would eat. People are starving for heaven's sake!

But I must say, my Monday marketplace jaunts do get me out in the world. Otherwise, I can live in the church, feeding only on church work and sermon preparations; carrying burdens and breathing my congregation's lives and spirit, whom I love dearly. They are like family. But forgetting there is a world out there, of strangers behind the counters and in the streets with whom I can share the love and hope of Christ with a smile. Who wait on me, when I need care. The $2.99 bargain on something I really don't need helps me lighten up, remembering there are sweet and simple pleasures, that on the surface seem useless. But they can bring perspective, and lighten a heavy load. When we feel we are not doing enough or producing enough or loving and caring and being enough - treating ourself to something from the upper shelf - without guilt - is just what a day off can be about. A new bird feeder, a geranium plant, a bar of foo-foo soap, a jar of imported jam, a bathing suit. Because maybe, just maybe, God has put it there for such a moment, as a glimpse of heaven, where whimsy and worth and purpose meet and it is all valuable and beautiful. Maybe it's because God wants to say, you're beautiful and you're worth it.

I will finish this blog, I'll thank God for you all, and pray for the world. I'll throw in another load of laundry, before I take Mom to lunch. And then I'll stop off at TJ Maxx. There's some really silly things on the upper shelves there that would make God smile.

Daily Readings First Thoughts May 16 2007

2007-05-16T08:31:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 99:1-9
Deuteronomy 19:1-7
James 5:13-18
Luke 12:22-31

James 5:13-18

¹³Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. ¹⁴Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective. ¹⁷Elijah was a human being like us, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. ¹⁸Then he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain and the earth yielded its harvest.

We thinkers have trouble stopping to pray. I'd like to rationalize sometimes and say that all my thoughts are prayers to God - that I really do pray without ceasing. But I confess: I get stuck in my own head often. Thinking about a person or situation deeply and wondering how I can help, searching for something to say that will impact the need, or dare I say, strategizing, planning. I suppose it is true that all of our thoughts are holy, if they're about what matters to God.

But James reminds me there is a sequence, an order to a prayer life that doesn't start with me or what's going on. It starts with God. If I'm truly praying, my thoughts are intentionally on God first. I love the part in James that exhorts me to sing psalms when I'm cheerful, smack in the beginning of the exhortation to pray for suffering and sickness and forgiveness. I need to get my praise on more! Send the praise before my prayers and thoughts. And lighten up, Lyn. There is so much to be cheerful about, even in the midst of deep thoughts, guilt, and especially offered with weighty petitions and supplications to God.

I am trying to discipline myself to pray first and think later. Praise God when I feel a giggle coming on, then thank Him for his goodness. To lift up my hands to the heavens for no reason. I'm trying to listen to God before I analyze everything to death. I can't out-think God anyway, who had the perfect solution to every pain and sickness, grief and sin in Jesus. And I can't out pray Jesus, but I can call out his name, and sing his praises, before anything else comes to mind. There's power in the name! My first thought in prayer: Jesus.

He has thought of everything. Dear Jesus. Amen.

Daily Scriptures First Thoughts May 15 2007

2007-05-15T08:05:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 98:1-9
Deuteronomy 8:11-20 or
Deuteronomy 8:15-22
James 1:16-27
Luke 11:1-13
Evening: Psalm 66:1-20

God is the giver of all that is good, reminds James: ¹⁷Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Like James, this I believe. I thank God for my lifestyle, for my faith, for my church, my family. Today, however, I'm struck by the warning that comes before that truth in verse 16: ¹⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved.

This implies there is a deceiver, who delights in distracting us from the Good and Perfect Giver. Who mocks us into trivializing the commandments of God, or ignoring them altogether, and competes for our faith. The deceiver is the god of our society, our economics and culture, of our political systems, who tells us we can have it all and still believe in God. That hard work will get us all we want, and gives us a pat on the back when we've "made it"; so we can buy the "stuff" churned out in the sweat shops of Nicaragua and China. The god of this world is our fast food industry that is making families fatter and sicker, while pharmaceutical companies get richer on our sicknesses. The deceiver keep snapping our heads and hearts back to the mirror, so that we see only our own reflection, and then kisses us. The deceiver could care less about God's purposes for anyone else but the person in the mirror.

When I study the world, past and present and the people in it - religious people as well - I come to the conclusion that we humans actually prefer the god of the world over the God of the Universe. Why else is an African child dying from Malaria or starvation every 30 seconds today? Why then would there still be men who abuse their women, leave their families high and dry? Why then, are there still Enrons and World Coms and (dare I say it), church enterprises who have built huge personal empires on the backs of the people? Why then are there people in our neighborhoods who drive by and kill each other - with words, guns or indifference? Why then, do we still look in the mirror and say we're not good enough or rich enough, or strong enough, or pretty enough and pursue charlatans who say they can make us better?

The Deuteronomic law has been trumped; the prophets of profit are drowning out God's prophets; we're playing "Deal or No Deal" with God, knocking on the wrong doors, working our butts off for the wrong reasons, and then wondering - Why doesn't God do something?

⁶Do not be deceived, my beloved.

¹⁷Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. ¹⁸In fulfillment of his own purpose he gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would become a kind of first fruits of his creatures.²⁷Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

Unstained, the way God already see us because of Christ - holy and His, without stuff and beauty and power to offer. For as God gazes on us, God sees the Son, the greatest gift of all to humankind, lifting God's purpose up with holy hands, to forgive us, bless us, equip us and deploy us for the needs of the world. In Christ alone - whom we follow, is our holy and singular purpose for the good gifts God has given us.

I pray this changes how we live today.

Daily Scriptures First Thoughts May 11 2007

2007-05-11T08:09:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 96:1-13
Deuteronomy 31:30-32:14
Romans 14:13-23
Luke 8:40-56
Evening: Psalm 49:1-20

The psalmist writes of God: Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. (Ps 96:7)

As Mother's Dy approaches, I commend all the scriptures today to you - read them and see if they don't reveal God's perfect parental character as Protector and Provider, Guide, Healer and Savior.

Deuteronomy - God, as faithful, honest and true, a teacher among teachers, who sets boundaries for his children, and stands guard over them. Who "walks upright", modeling righteous and holy behavior before the family. Who disciplines the children consistently. Like a mother who provides a nest and food, and raises the family above the evil and dangers of the world, with care and love and action. And gives them perspective over the world from above.

In Luke we meet Jesus, the healer - reflecting compassion and care for women and children with a touch and with attention. A parent who makes you feel like you're the only one in the room. Band aids and salve, and love, with a primary concern for the heart and soul of the children. Who encourages and yet walks through pain and doubt and fosters patience in the weak in faith. A parent who is safe and calms all fears.

In Romans, Paul reminds us that Godly parents rely on the Holy Spirit, and serve Christ alone. The call to live in peace and unity is centered on Christ alone, not a parent's control or a child's demands. Family boundaries, traditions, rules, discipline and freedoms are worked out in the grace offered in Christ. ⁷For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval. ¹⁹Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Thanks to God I have a model for being a Godly mother and grandmother, wife and child. Happy Mother's Day to all of you.

Daily Readings, First Thoughts May 9 2007

2007-05-09T08:31:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 99:1-9
Jeremiah 32:36-44
Romans 13:1-14
Luke 8:16-25
Evening: Psalm 9:1-20

Thank God there is a way to come into the light of day, and leave my dark deeds behind me: through faith in Jesus, who covered all my sins, past and present. These passages affirm for me God's great mercy when I deserved to remain in exile, empty-handed and hard hearted, like Israel was. I have freedom in Christ, who paid for it all, and now leads me as a child - to love and serve God, when I could never do it perfectly in my own power. The Lord says through Jeremiah: I will bring them back to this place, and I will settle them in safety. ³⁸They shall be my people, and I will be their God. ³⁹I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them. ⁴⁰I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me. ⁴¹I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

Yet now that I'm free, walking in the light of grace, living on the promises of God, I am more compelled than ever to remain in the light. Jeremiah tells us, God promised us "one heart and one way," in the covenant we have with God (God's covenant, not ours, by the way). Paul seems to suggest this one heart and one way is to love God alone, and submit to God's authority. Practically speaking, submit to the authorities God has placed over us. Jesus too, reminds us of the same: ²¹But he said to them, "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it."

I think we all struggle with authority of any kind. Children to parents, citizens to our President (his rating is below 30% now, so why bother we say?), church members to denominations, employees to their supervisors, created to Creator, saved to our Lord. This obedience and submission thing in our times is subjective, conditional and relative to our own needs and goals and desires, subject to our own interpretations and applications and ideologies. "The flesh" the Bible calls that.

But Christian love and obedience go hand in hand. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light; ¹³let us live honorably as in the day, not in reveling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarreling and jealousy. ¹⁴Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

I believe we need to consider every day what these fleshly desires are in our lives: not just sex, drugs, junk food, and rock and roll, but pride, the desire to win and be right, ego and ambition, a lack of compassion and indifference to the word of God. A sloppy attention to our families, poor stewardship of the earth, and the feeding of our critical natures. And the big one: a disregard for authority placed over us that confronts our sin natures, strives to help us stay pure and healthy, and reconcile us to each other through discipline. I see this as absolute, not relative. One heart, one way - One God, one Kingdom.

I don't always like doing things God's way, and I certainly have a long way to go to understand God's heart for goodness and justice and purity and peace in our complex world.
But thanks be to God, I am free to try and free to fail, knowing God will bring me back into the light every time. God promised.

Daily Readings First Thoughts May 8 2007

2007-05-08T07:27:00.000-04:00

Psalm 98:1-9; Jer. 32:16-25; Romans 12:1-21; Luke 8:1-15

"Sing to the Lord a new song," says the Lord. Every week we sing "praise songs" at our contemporary service. The praise team is trying to find time to learn new songs so we won't get bored. Is it possible God too is tired of the old ones! I think sometimes God gets bored when we sing the songs we like, and forget the source of our praise - God. That God is doing something new we can always sing about. God knows the difference when we sing empty praises.

Yet in our own lives, our songs are obsessed with our own glory and desires and feelings. We like the snappy songs of bitterness with their whining melodies and curt lyrics. We prefer sad songs that make us cry and happy songs that make us laugh. But what about a new song to God? A song of praise and honor - that's nothing about me or you. That celebrates who God is and has promised and what God has done - not just for me. But for God and for ALL the people God loves.

Maybe it's easier to default to the old songs, when we don't feel like singing at all. Can we sing a new song when we didn't get our way? When we are struggling with people's bad attitudes and agendas? When evil is singing its lewd and off key songs in our ears? Can we sing God's praises when we are angry and impatient about injustice and overwhelmed with the tragedies in the world? Can we sing God's praises when God has asked us to present ourselves to Him as a living sacrifice, to be pure and holy when we want to satisfy our flesh. Can we sing Gods' praises with thankfulness when God has asked us to go where we do not want to go? To give up our comfortable lives?

I cannot sing a new song unless my heart is changed. Transformed by the renewal of my mind. Paul drags me kicking and screaming back to God, to be present. "Present yourselves...". Most of us come to come to worship, half-hearted and preoccupied and expecting to be filled up. Christian worship is active and God-centered, and requires an authentic and purposeful seeking of God first. A love of God and a desire to hear from God and then do what matters to God. Worship is associated with honor and hospitality, service, prayer and giving. Not just showing up when we want and singing the same old songs, and leaving feeling good about ourselves.

And, praising God in all circumstances doesn't happen just on Sunday. Authentic worship and God-centered praise considers the community - everyone in it, all the time. Paul is specific about what love-centered worship is:

⁹Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; ¹⁰love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. ¹¹Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. ¹²Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer. ¹³Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.

¹⁴Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. ¹⁵Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. ¹⁸If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. ¹⁹Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord." ²⁰No, "if your enemies are hungry, feed them; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink; for by doing this you will heap burning coals on their heads." ²¹Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

When our songs are sounding tinny and flat, we can imitate Jesus in our worship and praise of the Father, and it will be well with us and God. And when our worship is sacrificial and persistent and centered around the Word of God - God's love for us in Christ - God will settle the score with our enemies and worries and sin. We can then send our pure and holy praise before the Lord and present ourselves to be used by him, and God will make it bear fruit.

Come on, let's hear a new song!

Daily Scriptures, First Thoughts May 4 2007

2007-05-04T09:27:00.000-04:00

Colossians 2:8-3:11; Jeremiah 31:18-24; Luke

I thank God that though God has created me with a memory of things good and evil, of my shame and errors, this memory is for my good and for my hope. Jeremiah reminds me that discipline for sin is part of God's love and care, though it is painful and embarrassing. It causes me to give up my convictions and passions and I don't like that. Yet the discipline changes me if I allow it to - it forges a new self - and I need only look back to see the crooked path I once led, and remember I am on a new one.

The new path is with Jesus - who has restored me when I did not deserve to be restored. But he heard my cries of regret and repentance - muffled often with all kinds of justifications and rationalizations and human longings and desires. He saw my stubborn heart and found me in my pride, and hauled me out of the ditch anyway. He sees our faith when no one else can. He knows what to make of it, when we don't. Like for the Centurion, Jesus healed his slave, not because he was a believer following all the rules of faith, but because he knew Jesus was the only one who could save his slave, and so he called on him. Jesus will heal and save whom Jesus wants. Radical love, which now he has called me to consider in my new life. Radical love, that sets aside the legalism and rules and judgment that once were important and opens the way for all people to come to Christ and be healed.

Paul calls us to put away earthly things that get in the way of this relationship with Jesus and with others, that conflict with the character of God. He writes about the religious rules, ²All these regulations refer to things that perish with use; they are simply human commands and teachings. ²³These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-imposed piety, humility, and severe treatment of the body, but they are of no value in checking self-indulgence. Now that's interesting to me. He seems to be saying, keep the rules that lead to self-control and that keep us from being so self-absorbed, selfish and preoccupied with self-gratification.

For he goes on, ⁵Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). ⁶On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. ⁷These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. ⁸But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. ⁹Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices ¹⁰and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

Looking back, God has given me a perspective on my self-indulgent ways and continues to govern me in them. I need to be reminded of where I've come, and where God wants me to go and be. I pray we as a church will have the boldness and obedience to do the same when it comes to matters of behavior toward one another, sexual purity, peace with our neighbors, justice, and unity in the things that matter to God - not just to us. I will continue to be open to God's discipline, so that I will grow day by day in my new self, for God's glory - not mine.

Daily Scriptures, First Thoughts May 1 2007

2007-05-01T08:25:00.000-04:00

Psalms 98 and 66; Jeremiah 30:10-17; Luke 6:12-26; Colossians 1:15-23

It bewilders me to consider that as I put my hope and faith in Jesus who died on the cross to save me, to remember that Jesus is God - that it is God who saves. Jesus and God are not separate beings, at cross purposes, or in conflict. God is not bad, Jesus good. God is consistent in how God deals with sin and restores and reconciles. The God who creates and reigns and judges and punishes is the God who saves us from our enemies, and from ourselves, from death. The God of Israel is the God of the cross, who was raised from the dead. The prologue to John's gospel (John 1:1-3) and now Colossians affirm this: ¹⁹For in [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

The way I see it, God intended peace and intimate relationship with God and creation since creation. Peace with the earth, with each other, with God. So God's created intent was to create a way from the beginning - that way is Jesus, the cross and the resurrection. It took a long time for God's people to find God, to trust God. Perhaps God knew it would, since God created us with wills to wander. Scripture tells us Jesus was there through it all, the Savior-Son-ManGod. When the enemies of God came against Israel, and when Israel turned away from God; when our wounds were grievous and we were "hostile to God," Jesus was there with and as God. Says the Lord in Jeremiah, ¹¹For I am with you, says the LORD, to save you; I will make an end of all the nations among which I scattered you, but of you I will not make an end. I will chastise you in just measure, and I will by no means leave you unpunished. With us from the beginning was truth, justice and grace, mercy and wrath, protection and discipline, all in the One true God.

As I come close to Jesus in prayer, and if I pray like Jesus, deeply - as he prayed all night long, I hear him call my name. And he draws me to God. And he tells me not to fear, even though God's character is both to save and to judge. On this side of heaven, I am still puzzled by the mystery of the Trinity - of Jesus being God, however distinct in time and economy - yet one.

This I know, God's ways are Jesus' ways, and vice verse. God's will for our lives is still relevant and necessary for us today and is manifest in Jesus. By the power of the Holy Spirit may we have ears to hear, and hearts to follow, minds to obey, and wills to trust to accept what God has for us, in Christ. Says Paul, ²¹And you who were once estranged and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²²he has now reconciled in his fleshly body through death, so as to present you holy and blameless and irreproachable before him— ²³provided that you continue securely established and steadfast in the faith, without shifting from the hope promised by the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven.

Daily Scriptures, first thoughts April 27, 2007

2007-04-27T09:42:00.000-04:00

Psalm 96:1-13; Daniel 6:1-15; 2 John 1-13

When I read Daniel and 2 John in the same reading, I am reminded of my responsibilities on the CPM committee in my Presbytery - Committee for Preparation for Ministry. The meeting of the satraps and presidents sounds like the bunch of elders and ministers and Presbytery representatives who consider the readiness of individuals for ordination within our denomination, through stages of inquiry, candidacy and ordination. I'm not sure I'm a satrap or a president, but I, like Daniel, have for sat before them on my own journey to ordination. Now I'm one of them.

Daniel flew through the process and became a superior leader among them because he had "an excellent spirit within him," and had not broken the law of God. But jealousy seemed to creep in among the others; he was just too good. And on top of that, he was a fundamentalist. Can't have that in this denomination. And so, a new requirement was imposed, to give homage to the King over God. But Daniel stayed his conscience and his faith. He maintained first and foremost his allegiance to God over his King. And he stepped into the trap set for him by his colleagues.

When we examine candidates, we presidents and satraps are asked to have them uphold the essential tenets of the reformed faith, even though they might stray from our "standards" outlined in the our constitution (confessions and Book of Order) in "good conscience." In fact, they can even have a scruple with the essential tenets, as I read the PUP report and the committee, and in the name of diversity, the CPM can pass them on. Our General Assembly has passed a guideline for us to examine people for this aspect - the Peace Unity and Purity (PUP) report which leaves open the possibility for candidates to be less than "fundamental" on the standards, and ambiguous about the essentials, even though they might have "wonderful gifts," love the Lord, and be hard working and likable. Even if their practices and teachings might cause some to stumble or minimize the authority of scripture, or the Lordship of Jesus. Even if they cannot stomach calling God their Father. And so on.

But if they're too fundamental, they might make the rest of us look bad, or have to consider our own compromises with the truth when it gets in the way of our lifestyles or conflicts with our hearts or experiences. Or when the ministry of the gospel includes prohibitions that have gone out of vogue, such as sexual purity, the Lordship of Christ alone in a pluralistic world, and biblical literacy among others. When winning lost souls is too uncomfortable for some Presbyterians who would rather feed the poor, and settle for sloppy teaching, than sound proclamation and evangelism. Fundamentalists don't belong in the PC(USA).

The writer of 2 John saw this coming too, as he chastised the woman for allowing "deceivers" into her community - into her home no less - and apparently they were leading her and the community astray. She must have been a woman of influence in the church. It seems her children, however, were fundamentalists, or so we could decide from this text. And their fragile faith was in jeopardy by her inclusiveness. I don't see this as a mandate to exclude people form the gospel, but apparently, this "deceiver" had been undermining the fundamental teachings of the community who were filled with new converts: ⁵But now, dear lady, I ask you, not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but one we have had from the beginning, let us love one another. ⁶And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment just as you have heard it from the beginning—you must walk in it.

What are the commandments? God alone is God. Love God first and foremost, above the institution, above the denomination, the polity, the tradition, the structures and rules. God is Lord of the conscience, but not at the expense of the authority of scripture. And as professing Christians, the essential of our faith is Jesus Christ: his life and his work and his teaching.

When I talk to candidates I want to hear them profess Jesus Christ as the way and the truth and the life - before all else. I want to hear that they have "the excellent spirit of Jesus" in them and how the Holy Spirit is working in them. The denomination may come and go, but God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. And either we believe his commandments hold as truth for today or we don't. God is God, not us.

I see my work on CPM as dicey and necessary and occasionally controversial. For as what would be defined fundamentalism, I align with the writer of 2 John as I discern the readiness and competency of those who will lead and teach the essentials of our Christian faith to future generations: ⁸Be on your guard, so that you do not lose what we have worked for, but may receive a full reward. ⁹Everyone who does not abide in the teaching of Christ, but goes beyond it, does not have God; whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Jesus was fundamental in his faith and his obedience to the Father, so evident in the gospel of John. Jesus alone is the fundamental way to salvation. Sin blocks our way to God. This is what he taught. Lest we forget, when Jesus came in this encounter today in Luke with the leper, he was more concerned with healing sins, than physical needs. Sin. A fundamental human condition that is fundamentally defined in our scriptures, and fundamentally accounted for in the life and death of our Savior. If we embrace the fundamentals of the way to salvation - Repent, believe and follow Jesus, who alone is the way to wholeness and to God, we shall never be moved.

No matter what traps might be set before us.

First thoughts, daily scriptures - April 25, 2007

2007-04-25T07:27:00.000-04:00

1 John 5:1-12

I often have people ask me how to "do evangelism." We like many churches, are wanting to grow. We have a New Life team in our church to explore ways to invite people to this encounter with God in community. Most of the activity surrounds mailing campaigns, events at the church, hanging literature on door knobs, and occasional (expensive!) newspaper ad. We're trying to get the web site updated. Sadly, only a few have participated in this.

But the rest of us? Dare we invite people to Church, let alone into a relationship with Christ? Share our testimony? Well these invitations can be awkward; sharing our testimony with others is just, well, too Baptist. We're Presbyterians. We seem to have a different order to evangelism: build the church, hire a preacher and round up Sunday School teachers to teach Bible stories, and they will come, and they will hear. If the music is good and we're friendly enough, maybe they will join. If they do, then we can go on mission trips together, and feed the poor together.

But share personal testimonies? Leave that to the Baptists.

Now I'm messing with some of you, I know. You have not dared speak the name of Jesus at a restaurant as you pray for the server out loud. You'd never think of giving God the glory in public on your child's soccer field. You have never "witnessed" to anyone verbally about the hope that lies in you - which is the Spirit of God, received through the blood of Christ, and the water of baptism. It has intimidated you to speak of the mystery of faith in a world that idolizes knowledge and solutions and reason and human power and privilege. Someone might think you're a Bible thumping, self-righteous, fundamentalist whacko.

Then I read I John: ¹¹And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. ¹²Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. It says to me that our faith in Christ IS the testimony, and at risk is death for those who do not come to faith in Christ. If we are not proclaiming our faith in Christ, as we live out our lives, to our friends, family, strangers, no one will come to know that it is Christ who gives all people life and hope and victory. Our testimony is not complete until we declare our faith, sharing with others God's perspectives and meaning to our life, as awkward as it might be. It means telling the truth about our own challenges and victories: that we are nothing apart from Jesus Christ. ALL life is in Jesus, and unless we SAY it, invite others to this relationship, we are fooling ourselves to think that our testimony and the hope for the world is in a fancy building, a slick program, a good preacher, our music program or our nice people.

All through history, God's people have shared their personal stories about their faith in God. In our schools, and offices and stores and neighborhoods, so must we, relying on the Holy Spirit to make our bumbling words effective for salvation. God will be the victor no matter what the church says. But the primary end of the Church is to BE the witness to the world of God's Kingdom and to tell it like it is. All of us.

Daily Bible readings- first thoughts April 24, 2007

2007-04-24T08:43:00.000-04:00

Psalm 98:1-9; Daniel 4:28-37; I John 4:7-21; Psalm 66:1-20

God can drive us to places we don't want to go. As Christians, we are taught to expect that - to follow Christ into difficult places when we commit to serve Him.

But God can drive us to other places, where we have no use. Indeed, King Nebuchadnezzar found himself toppled from his throne and driven into the wilderness, just like Daniel told him would happen. God drove him from power and privilege to danger and darkness, to grovel and scrap for survival with wild animals. Of use to no one, powerless for a time.

The evil spirit that possessed the man in Luke's gospel, who manifested itself in him as many, was driven out of him by a few words from Jesus. They too became powerless over the man, driven to oblivion.

John reminds us that God can drive out anything that blocks love from the world - including our selfish ambition, pride, fear. All God wants to dwell in us is love - for God and for others. As the King learned, [God] is able to bring low those who walk in pride. (Daniel 4:37). As God drives out sin and evil from our lives, through Christ, God brings us low. But God does not leave us there.

The King was restored to his throne with humility - now claiming the One true God: ³⁴When that period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me. I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored the one who lives forever. For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

Pride was driven out and replaced by the fear of the Lord. Fear, reverence, honor - the recognition that God is God, not us. God has all the power, not the unclean spirits of this world, that tempt us to think we are god, that we can go it alone, that we have it all together, that our needs matter more than justice and peace. God drives us to our knees, God drives us to consider the wasteland of our lives, God drives us to the brink, but God never leaves us there, to fear. For God sent Jesus into the wilderness to drive us home to God, and to dwell with us in love, by love, for love, forever.

¹³By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. ¹⁴And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. ¹⁵God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. ¹⁶So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. (I John 4:13-16).

The wilderness can be a place where purpose and perspective is shaped. And everything else is driven out. So be it to the glory of God.

Daily Thoughts on the Daily Scriptures - April 23, 2007

2007-04-23T08:24:00.000-04:00

Psalm 97:1-12; Daniel 4:19-27; I John 3:19-4:6; Luke 4:14-30

It's been a few weeks since y'all have heard from me. We were in Marguaritaville, sunny Key West to see our son and his wife and then a week to "re-enter" the real world followed. What a beautiful escape! Key West is the home of Earnest Hemingway, and Jimmy Buffett, and every kind of Marguarita imaginable.

I confess I did not read the Bible on vacation. We even skipped church. I did pray for people as God popped them into my mind. But the disciplines I practiced were to relax by catching up with our kids, snorkeling, eating, a good book and plenty of beach time.

Coincidentally, our daughter-in-law, the photographer for the Key West Magazine, was doing a feature story shoot on "Keeping Faith in a Hedonistic Town," or something like that. It required that she interview and photograph the pastors in Key West about the faith of their Key West flocks, and attend a few worship services. Now she and our son don't attend church. However, on our Sunday there, she spent 2 1/2 hours at an AME worship service, and when we caught up with her afterwards she said it was cool, the energy and the Spirit. All of a sudden I really missed my church family. I was ready to come home. Interestingly, I also realized I missed the daily discipline of reading the lectionary with you all (yeah, I'm a Bible geek). And then, on Monday the 16th waiting in the airport for our fight home, we saw the news unfolding of the Virginian Tech shootings. Like the psalmist says, "clouds of thick darkness were all around me," as I was reminded we live in a world of evil and brokenness, not a tropical paradise.

How soon I had become disconnected from the world's pain and tragedy - it's heartbeat, and drifted from the heart of God. All I had to think about was shopping for souvenirs and what restaurant we'll eat in. I returned a bit restless. My flesh was relaxed but my Spirit was still hungry, my heart kind of dull. When you don't read the Word, that can happen to you. When you isolate yourself form the world's evil and tragedy, hedonism is contagious. That has upset me this week.

When we lose perspective on God's ways, God's purposes, and God's truth, we lose ourselves. How tempting it is to seek an escape from the very hard work of showing compassion and of taking a stand against injustice and evil, to pursue our own pleasures and protect our own positions of power. We are faced every day with choices as the dark clouds enter our neighborhoods, our businesses, our schools, and we can choose to follow Jesus' heart for peace and mission to the poor and grieving and exploited, or we can follow our own.

Daniel shook in his boots having to tell the King the truth about his dream: that the King was going to fall from his place of power and have to live with the wild animals, because of his hedonism. He challenged the king: ²⁷Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone for your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged." Tough words to muster to your boss, huh?

John's words remind me that we DO know right from wrong - our hearts condemn us, but obedience to the truth is the problem: to obey God and love each other. How easy we can be led astray by "other spirits" that make false promises, keep us politically correct, that satisfy our flesh, and tell us we can play it safe, cut us off from others' needs.

Jesus did anything but that. He brought the spirit of truth not the spirit of error. He lived and stayed among the poorest, getting away for a time to be with God, not escape. He came for the poor and the exploited, bringing freedom not slavery. And like all the prophets before him, he was run out of town for preaching righteousness and justice and love. (Luke)

I loved my vacation. We all need to take breaks and I will take many more to places of beauty and paradise. But I will take the Word with me, and seek God in all places, so as not to waste away in Marguaritaville.

⁹For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;

you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰The LORD loves those who hate evil;

he guards the lives of his faithful;

he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

¹¹Light dawns for the righteous,

and joy for the upright in heart.

¹²Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,

and give thanks to his holy name! (Psalm 97:9-12)

Amen.

Holy Week Thoughts April 3 2007

2007-04-03T07:36:00.000-04:00

Psalms 34, 25; Jer. 15:19-21; Phil. 3:15-21; John 12:20-26

These scriptures today, in my first reading, give me a path to walk on in my Christian life as a pastor, and for all of you who seek to serve God with your speech and your life. The prophet Jeremiah, has become discouraged (to say the least). The "precious utterances" God has given him have been met with bitter rejection by the people. Jeremiah laments: ⁵O LORD, you know; remember me and visit me, and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors. In your forbearance do not take me away; know that on your account I suffer insult. ¹⁶Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I am called by your name, O LORD, God of hosts.

He's considering turning and running. God tells him - Turn back to me, and keep those precious utterances going - the Law, and the prophesies, the encouragement, the truth. All are sweet to God who alone gives us words for the moment. Turn back to me, God says, and I will deliver you when you speak for me. Turn back.

Paul encourages me to hold fast to Jesus - who will transform the humiliation we often experience as Christians, as Jesus did, into his glory. We have already attained glory, though we can get caught up in the world's scourges. Hold fast to this truth and the vision of yourself in glory. Hold fast.

John's gospel reading convicts me, that even with good intentions to be good disciples, we can be burdened with "stuff" that makes the witness heavy and unattractive, that makes the sweet word of God, bitter. Jesus then tells me to let go of the past, as a seed would die before it becomes new life. Truth and steadfastness can only bear fruit in my life, and be a witness if I die to myself, as Jesus died to himself. There's a lot of work to do here! Every day. Let go.

And then, follow Jesus. Jesus says, follow me without the baggage of the past and the wealth and glory we create for ourselves here, leaving our sins in Jesus' hands to be forgiven by God. And where we go, Jesus will be.

Turn back. Hold fast. Let go. Move out.

How often when we only want to share the good news with people, how tempting it is to return to the old life of comforts and security, simple facts and tidy resolutions. How often we can become disillusioned that our lives don't matter to God anymore, or to anyone for that matter. Have you wondered how you can be a Christian witness, a prophet in a dark world that hates the words you live on - who suspect the "precious utterances" of God's truth are just sweet talkin' foolishness.

Pray like crazy - like David, in his excruciating prayers of lament and agony, when the enemies surrounded him, he prayed for strength and wisdom and direction, for forgiveness and security, honest to God.

⁴Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. ⁵Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all day long. ⁶Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. ⁷Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
according to your steadfast love remember me, for your goodness' sake, O LORD!

Remember and pray.

Good Friday approaches again. But the cross is foolishness to the world. This week we Christians will be asked by God to carry the cross with Jesus - a task that would no doubt make us all want to turn and run - and as we walk, and as we struggle, we continue with the sweet utterances of faith in the One who carries us every day of our lives, to glory.

Turn back. God will deliver you. Hold fast. Jesus has saved you. Let go. The Spirit will equip you. Follow Jesus. He will never leave or forsake you. And pray daily. Your precious utterances are sweet to God.

Easter Thoughts about the Trinity March 29 2007

2007-03-29T08:46:00.000-04:00

I was praying for a friend today as I read John's gospel reading in the daily lectionary, from John 10. She is trying to get a handle on the reformed understanding of the Trinity, coming from a Pentecostal Christian tradition. (Even for us Presbyterian seminary trained folks, the Trinity is a tough doctrine to grasp, let alone articulate). Jesus is talking to the doubters and the believers about himself. ²⁷My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father's hand. ³⁰The Father and I are one."

Here's what came to mind as I enter Holy Week:

What God the Father gave Jesus was eternal life in God’s own self, and this is what God has given us who believe in Jesus as Savior-God, who embraced the agony of the cross for our salvation. God became human so God could gather the sheep near in a way God had never done before, so that God could be near to them in a real and physical way. So that God could save them, dying for our sins, once for all. Humans needed to hear God’s voice as a sheep hears the shepherd’s voice, and cares for them. So God became man. And in this man was all that God is, was and ever will be. John 1:1-12 – “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus) and the Word was with God and the Word WAS God…” God became human so we could identify with the passion of God, and suffering of God, and God with ours.

Then God sent the Spirit, after God died for us (In the Trinitarian sense, It was GOD who died for us in Christ), to be with us forever providing an endless source of faith, grace, forgiveness, power, strength, courage, wisdom, hope, knowledge, etc.

The Lord God who lived, died and rose is the Trinitarian God. The three are one. And in all of these acts as well as other mighty acts of God, they are one – in the creation of the world, in the incarnation, in the miracles and ministry on earth, in the death and resurrection, in eternity, at the judgment at the end of the age. Like water, steam and ice - one substance, three forms, various functions. The Trinity existed before time, and was manifested in one form or the other throughout time, and will be there for all time, even at the end of time.

Next week we will sing the old hymn, "Jesus Christ is risen today". Jesus reminds us,
"I and the Father are one." As Jesus rises to give us new life, so we are reminded of God's eternal character, and lasting promise that we who believe shall dwell with God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit, on earth and in heaven, now and forever. Amen.

Long live the risen Lord.

First Thoughts March 27 2007

2007-03-27T08:07:00.000-04:00

Psalm 34; Jer. 25:8-17; Romans 10:1-13; John 9:18-41; Psalm 25:1-22

Spiritual blindness can overcome us any time and it can stay with us even when we are given the truth. The man in John's gospel was blind from birth. After he was healed by Jesus, the Jews didn't believe he had been blind from birth until they talked to his parents. They insisted on checking it out for themselves. But they remained blind to the truth even after they heard it. They asked the man himself, how he could have been made to see, not believing what they could not understand. Even after they heard it from the healed blind man himself, "All I know is once I was blind and now I can see," they did not see the truth, nor did they want to:
He answered them, "I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again?

They had formed their conclusions about the truth. They were blind in their sin, though Jesus came for sinners. As I explore what is the will of God, I can often have my own perceptions about what is and what is not true. I can be blind to the truth of a matter or an issue, even when it is front of me. Even when there is proof. I think that is because receiving the truth means we might have to give up our own perceptions and convictions and realities. If we take the cup and drink it, we might have to confess we are blind and wrong about a lot of things.

God sees the heart of the matter and sees our hearts. If to others it seems impossible that a blind man can see, or that a simple person can be wise, or a marginalized individual can see the truth, or a sinner can have a word for us, To God all things are possible - salvation comes from hearing the truth when we cannot always see it.

I think we need to listen to the Spirit, so that we can see our circumstances from God's perspective. So we can see others as Jesus sees them - we are ALL blind from birth, and remain blind, without the love of Jesus touching us personally. We do not inherit the truth by gender, or heritage, or knowledge or power - we come to see the truth because Jesus touched us. And then we come to faith, and without shame, claim that HE is Lord, not our own agendas. ¹¹The scripture says, "No one who believes in him will be put to shame." ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. ¹³For, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

The song, Open my Eyes That I may See, comes to mind. It is sung in worship together. May we not wink at the truth, or close a blind eye to the One who gathers us all together to praise Him as one:

³O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together (Psalm 25). Then let the truth set us free to see to the heart of the matters before us.

Reflection on the Psalm March 26 2007

2007-03-26T09:44:00.000-04:00

Morning: Psalm 119:73-80

⁷³Your hands have made and fashioned me;

give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

⁷⁴Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,

because I have hoped in your word.

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that your judgments are right,

and that in faithfulness you have humbled me.

⁷⁶Let your steadfast love become my comfort

according to your promise to your servant.

⁷⁷Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;

for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸Let the arrogant be put to shame,

because they have subverted me with guile;

as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹Let those who fear you turn to me,

so that they may know your decrees.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in your statutes,

so that I may not be put to shame.

These are humbling words to this preacher. I read them right after I had received another email from a member telling me how much my message Sunday the 25th had spoken to her. She was not the only one. In fact, I was overwhlemed yesterday with feedback on my sermon about the journey with Jesus into the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46). Watch and pray with me, Jesus asked us. Stay awake with me. Watch me agonize over what I must do, even as I will agonize with you over what you must do in your life. Please don't fall asleep to God's will and God's heart, he pleads.

It appears my message woke up a few folks. Myself included. I had entered the Garden earlier in the week as I prepared the message. God led me there, where I wrestled to stay awake and prayed, a lot more than I usually do. Because this week, Jesus asked me to. My life with Jesus has formed my thoughts and practices, and given me understanding. I know Jesus is the only way to wholeness and hope, and that He will walk with me as I study and pray and deliberate and counsel in my ministry. Many decisons are hard; many people are broken; the church has challenges I don't have answers for. Many came with me into the Garden, weary and tired, discouraged and confused. But for such a time as this, like He did for David and Moses and Paul and Deborah and Esther, and others, God has given me understanding and compassion. God has given me faith and hope and wisdom. And God has given me a word for others.

Yesterday I brought it. And the people rejoiced. Not in me - but in the Word in me - that Jesus had had his way with me too, in the Garden and gave me the words I was to pass on: that God's judgments are right, even when they chafe. That our only hope is in the Lord, when other ways would be easier; that God's love is our only comfort, when people fail us, and trouble hounds us. I know it to be true in my life. And so I preached it, humbly, as one called out to stay alert to the needs of others, as I stay close to Jesus, my Lord and Savior, and pray with Him. For He prays for me, and He prays for them.

My words are His words, or may I be put to shame.

Daily Scriptures March 24 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-24T08:06:00.000-04:00

Psalm 43; Jer. 23:11-14; Romans 9:1-18; John 6:60-71; Psalm 31

We are about to enter the Garden with Jesus as he walks to Jerusalem and faces the events of the cross. it is easy to get distracted from this event, walk past a garden that has yet to bloom again, that is smelling of old olive oil and decayed leaves. As I watch daffodils bloom and the grass green up, I am much more inclined to by pass the dark garden today and hurry to the empty tomb.

Jesus reminds us that many who were following him drifted away (John 6:65-66). His teaching was too difficult to understand. Some lost interest after awhile. Perhaps their families threatened to cut them off if they kept going. Perhaps other teachings were easier on their lifestyles and left room for other gods of their own making. Perhaps they had no one to encourage them to continue the difficult journey. Perhaps the journey got too treacherous, the death threats and all. Perhaps the grief of leaving everyone they cherished behind would be too much to ask, like Paul faced when his people rejected "The Way of Jesus" as the fulfillment of the promise to Israel (Romans 9).

By the time he reached the garden only 12 remained with him. But Jesus also reminds us that even those who entered the Garden would fall away - denying him with a kiss, or lie, or silence. Some scattered in fear, others gave up hope. But the truth Jesus tells us is this - our spirit may be willing but our flesh is weak. All the time. But it is only in the Spirit that we have life: ⁶³It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh is useless. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. ⁶⁴But among you there are some who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the first who were the ones that did not believe, and who was the one that would betray him.

Yet thanks be to God for God's great mercy - a mystery really. That even those of us who believe, who have said we are followers, or want to be, would betray Jesus - with our apathy, our prayerless lives, when we fear sharing Christ with others, when we stay in destructive lifestyles or make excuses for our inattentiveness to God's ways. When we betray Jesus by arguing with Him for control, for praying our own will over God's. When we judge others when they fall, without looking at our own lives critically before God. When all this is going on in our lives, God can still show mercy on us! Says Paul,⁴What then are we to say? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! ¹⁵For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." ¹⁶So it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God who shows mercy.

We stand at the entrance of the Garden and have a choice - to enter it with Jesus, to stay and pray with Him, agonize with Him and he with us over the change of direction our lives must make, counting the cost of following him all the way to wholeness, or we will return home by the same path we came.

If we don't land in a ditch somewhere first. Even then, there is a hand waiting to pull us out.

Daily Scriptures March 22 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-22T07:20:00.000-04:00

Ps 27; Jer. 22:13-23; Romans 8:12-27; John 6:41-51; Psalm 126:1-6

TV is flooded with so-called reality shows. I caught a few episodes of the Extreme Makeover Show last season, where a person who had struggled in life because of their appearance was freed from the bondage of their ugly body, and given a whole new body, thanks to plastic surgery, cosmetic dentistry, personal trainers and a fashion budget big as Montana. At the end of the hour, after watching all the groaning and suffering during the transformation, with nail-biting anticipation the "new person" was revealed at a bash with all their friends, family, the crew of the show, and of course, us, the viewers. The guest of honor was quoted with tears of glee about the new life she now can have, that the real person she always was can now come out. And with everyone there, I found myself saying Wow! Look at her! Free at last!

I've often wondered what happened to those people. Did this extreme bodily makeover change anything inside? Maybe their self-esteem went up a notch as heads turned for the first time. Maybe they got jobs at Mode Magazine, where Ugly Betty still groans and labors in her ugly body. But we all know God searches the heart - and a heart for God turns his head every time. Not what we look like, or do for a living, or drive, or can accomplish. Not because of what church we belong to, or who we hang out with. Not because we speak in tongues, or speak decently and in order, or speak at all.

We get God's attention because the Spirit of God is in us - we who believe, and the Spirit has set us free from the bondage we carry with us. This bondage of fear, and loneliness. Of failure and confusion. Of pride and disgust with ourselves, or others. We've been called children of God, and Abba Daddy has forgiven us for everything we have done or been, because of our brother, Jesus. We get God's attention when we can't even call God's name, or put words together in prayer. We are made new because we believe what we cannot see - that God sent Jesus to make us new.
²We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; ²³and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. ²⁴For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans)

And if we wait, instead of trying to make ourselves over, God will do the work in us from the inside out first, and there will be a "reveal" like Hollywood could only dream of. The Spirit of Jesus will be seen everywhere in you. And the full reveal may not come in this life, but God has already begun to arrange its completion in glory. A cosmic, eternal coming out party that will go for eternity, together with the audience of God and all the saints, and the heavenly hosts. In the meantime, we believe and we wait. We suffer our ugly parts, and rejoice with the rest of the family, as Paul says, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.¹⁸I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us. And I'll be there, saying Wow! Look at her! Free at last!

Daily Scriptures March 21 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-21T07:40:00.000-04:00

Psalm 5; Jeremiah 18:1-11; Romans 8:1-11; John 6:27-40; Psalm 27

Reading these scriptures through Lent, I am reminded that God wants God's way with me. Lent is a time people often give up something. I see it as a time to give up, period. Not on life or on myself. But to give myself up to God. God, the Potter, who will eventually have His way with me anyway, one way or the other. To give up my flesh - those desires that usually lead me astray, one way or the other. To give up being perfect and pleasing everyone, in one way or the other. To give myself over to the One who will supply for everything - not everything I want to be happy in this life, but everything I need to be God's gal forever. Lent is a time for me to stop living "in the flesh", and think about the Spirit who wants His way with me. "Set the mind on the Spirit" as Paul says.

Well, half way through Lent I'm hear to say, that ain't so easy. A girl's gotta eat. A girl's gotta shop, and sweat and make love and clean house and, well, the body must go on working. We live life "in the flesh" don't we? We work it out, if you will. So what does God mean, live in the Spirit?

John gives me a clue. The "work" we do in the spirit is to believe. And the good news is, the Spirit in us is already doing the work of faith. Our work is to believe in the One who brought us to God, perfect and whole and forgiven, as new vessels. To believe in Jesus, who came from God to shape us and to mold us and present us unblemished to God. It's a miracle, and it has a great outcome for us and for God if we give ourselves up to the process. We need not miss the reworking, if we think on the Spirit. Our "work, " is to let the Spirit exercise our mind and will around His Spirit: to think about the Spirit. And if we are not even thinking about the mystery of God, what we believe, in Whom we believe, then we remain living in the flesh, sweating over what we will eat, how we will get our way, putting energy into satisfying our cravings, hooking our wagon to "certainty" and reason, and becoming a vessel that isn't suitable for the Spiirt anymore. One way or the other, God will have God's way with us - smashing our desires and insatiable quest for knowledge and power, reworking us (Jeremiah), sooner or later. As I see it, that means there are consequences for us who think only on what we have made of ourselves and for ourselves.

And there is great joy and satisfaction, when we let our minds wander toward God, and visualize the beautiful vessel God intends to dwell - when we fix our minds on the Potter, not the clay. And excuse the mixed metaphors, but when we seek food that will fill us in eternity: the Potter's Spirit and the promise of eternal life.

This goes for the church - God is reworking this outworn and misshapen institution to be the true representation of HIS Kingdom, not ours. It will look very different than the church that offers only what satisfies the members, and preserves until death outdated programs that aren't reaching people anymore. God will smash down the doors that keep people out. If we pay attention to the Spirit - Who is alive in us and in the church - we will have the joy and privilege of participating in the mind of the Spirit and the Kingdom that has come.

Now that's worth giving up everything for.

Daily Scriptures March 16 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-16T09:12:00.000-04:00

Psalm 22:1-31; Jeremiah 11:1-8, 14-17; Romans 6:1-11; John 8:33-47; Psalm 105:1-45

"A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit" (Jer. 11:16). That’s how God remembered Israel, God’s chosen, God’s image-bearers. I love that image for the people of God. God planted us, and God’s created intent for us was always as life-giving, supple creatures, with potential and promise. God’s intent is to bless not curse us with every good thing. God’s love and God’s laws were to nurture our tender shoots, so that we bear fruit for Him.

The covenant from God - the holy hedge of protection and belonging – should have been all we needed to exist with God and grow strong. But we think we can grow up all by ourselves. We cannot because we remain vulnerable to pests and evil – within and without. We fail to allow ourselves to be pruned.

Thank God for Jesus – the tender shoot that would grow up to save me, to mend the fence around my life and restore what the locust ate. I am still a green olive tree, but because of Christ, I have great promise. Because of Christ, I live (Romans).

This week, I saw a single tender crocus that had come up from a dusty yard that had not yet begun to green up. A reminder to me that we have new life in Christ, when there seems to be no life at all. From the dust comes life – tender and vulnerable; if it were not for God’s love and protection given to us in the covenant, we would perish. I will obey God today the best I can, knowing I’ll tend to grow crooked if left to my own, and never bear fruit. I am tempted that way every day.

I want to grow straight and tall, and bear fruit for God. So be it Lord. Have your way with me today.

Daily Readings March 14 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-14T08:20:00.000-04:00

Ps 5; Jer 8:4-7, 18-19:6; Rom 5:1-11; John 8:12-20

If nothing else, read the scriptures today. They tell of your only hope for this life and the next. But first, a word about this blog:

This blog contains MY thoughts on the scriptures. Not your thoughts. The scriptures are for US, not just me. By us, I mean, you and me, and the biblical witnesses: the prophets and kings, church fathers and mothers, apostles, popes and priests, pastors and flock, in all times and places. I believe the work of a preacher is to make the invitation clear for others to listen to the word of God, first and foremost. And then, with prayer, and in conversation with the community, I take a stab at putting the Spirit's thoughts into my thoughts and out comes a human word for us. But it is just that: the proclamation of the word by one who has first believed and been redeemed, by faith in Christ.

Your faith will grow not because I tell you what the scriptures mean, unilaterally, but your faith will grow and revelation will come when YOU read them and the Spirit makes them living for you, and in you. No human can do that. Only faith in God through God's word, and the work of the Holy Spirit can do that. I can only share with you in this blog what the Spirt has told me. Then, I enter a conversation with God, and with you. If you do not read the scriptures, then there is no conversation with you, the people of God.

Today's scriptures, when read together, form FOR ME the essence of why Jesus came: while we were still weak and sinners, Christ died for us. I believe that God grieves my sin and the alienation our sin causes, as God grieved for Israel, and Christ grieved for those who did not believe - and God's desire is that I be reconciled with God. And so I repent every day of that, with the asurance that once for all, I am forgiven. And everyday I consider the suffering of Christ so that I might be reconciled. That is what I boast, to use Paul's word for preaching - the suffering that is the testimony.

It is God's desire that we know God - that is why Jesus came. That is why we have the word written. That is why we have the gift of the Holy Spirit. What a waste should we pass them by. It is to our peril.

Daily Readings March 13 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-13T09:51:00.000-04:00

Psalm 34:1-22; Jeremiah 7:21-34; Romans 4:13-25; John 7:37-52

Today I claim Psalm 34:1 as my mantra.

¹I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

I bless God for God's promises and provisions. For my faith. For my salvation when I was doomed. For forgiveness when I still drift. For Jesus, who quenches me when I'm thirsty: "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, ³⁸and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, 'Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living water.'"

It doesn't get much better than this, folks. And so, out of my mouth will come only praise and blessing today, for God and for others.

Daily Scriptures March 12 07 First Thoughts

2007-03-12T08:52:00.000-04:00

Jeremiah 7:1-15; Romans 4:1-12; John 7:14-36; Psalm 121:1-8

The Romans text is one of the watchwords of the Reformed tradition: we are made right with God by grace not works, as evidenced in God’s pronouncement on Abraham’s condition before God: "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." It wasn’t his heritage, his circumcision, his law-abiding lifestyle, nor all his do-good deeds that made him right with God. It was that He believed in God before he was ever circumcised, before it was ever a requirement handed down by Moses later. Before he ever did anything, he believed. Period.

A good word today. I reckon that’s enough for me, a consummate “doer.” I believe in Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah, who assured me that nothing I can do can make God love me less, or nothing I can do can make God love me more. I am saved and loved and made right with God by faith in Christ. Period. It’s what I preach.

Yet, working out our salvation – living as righteous people – is an entirely different matter. So warns Jeremiah. God still cares about justice, poverty, the helpless and the aliens among us. Our consideration of them – not just an afterthought as we pass them by – is a response to our faith, is putting our money where our mouth is, our hands and hearts reckoned together. If we believe in God, we believe in God’s causes: whatever God loves, we love. Whatever God hates, we hate. Whatever is God’s cause is our cause. If we believe Jesus has been sent by God, is God with us, that He is the Messiah for us and the world; if we believe we have been made right with God once for all through Jesus; and if Jesus did signs and wonders for others and then told us to go do the same – well then, I guess I have some work to do after all.

Yet, as I read Jesus’ words in John, I know like the Pharisees – and for sure the disciples themselves, I will make excuses for doing nothing about God’s causes; as I’m mindful of my pursuits and protecting my time and energy, while ⁴He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (Psalm 121:4). I will look and not see Jesus, because we may find Jesus in our hearts, by faith, but we shall miss him in the eyes of the orphans, and widows and strangers among us. And in missing Him there, we miss knowing the One who has called us righteous in the first place. Seek and find Him today in the work He has called you in faith to do.

I reckon you’ll find Jesus there.

Daily Scriptures for March 9 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

Morning: Psalm 22:1-31; Jeremiah 5:1-9; Romans 2:25-3:18; John 5:30-47; Psalm 105:1-45

Well. The psalmist has said a mouth full today, speaking for those who have been all over the place with God and with enemies and pain and suffering, and back again. Psalm 22’s troubles are like living in a zoo of animals gone berserk.

Jeremiah has seen the same ravaging woes come upon the people – yet reminds us – we leave ourselves open game for evil and destruction, when we turn away from the One True God. We are vulnerable to unjust laws, cruelty and immorality, when we build our own flimsy self-protecting barriers against the world; when we put our hope in other “gods” to save us, like more money, sex, food, a promotion; putting our faith in prosperity gospel phonies, slick politicians, the government, a relationship. This is the sin of idolatry, says the Lord. It deserves punishment, says the Lord through Jeremiah:

⁷How can I pardon you? Your children have forsaken me, and have sworn by those who are no gods. When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery and trooped to the houses of prostitutes. ⁸They were well-fed lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor's wife. ⁹Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD; and shall I not bring retribution on a nation such as this?

Paul makes the same grim observation for Jews and Gentiles alike, quoting all the Old Testament prophesies as well in Romans 3:10-18. In sum, saying, all have turned away, have fallen short by seeking other respites, other gods, giving glory to others. Jesus too, knows that the result of seeking after human glory will bring death. Yet for believers in the one true God, deliverance comes from what would tear us limb to limb, financially, physically, emotionally. That seems always the psalmist’s conclusion after the terror:

⁴For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted; he did not hide his face from me, but heard when I cried to him. (Psalm 22).

God rescues us from death through the glory of the resurrection – maybe not in this life, literally, but spiritually and at the end of the age. Jesus is “the glory that comes from the one who alone is God” (John 5). You may still feel the hot breath of wild animals at your back, but the glory of the Lord will ultimately destroy all that seeks to destroy you. And God will set you on a new safe path.

Believe.

Daily Scriptures for March 8 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-08T08:47:00.000-05:00

Morning: Psalm 27:1-14; Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28; Romans 2:12-24; John 5:19-29

These scriptures today hit home for me, a pastor and teacher, a parent, a wife, a leader. I am a custodian of God’s ways and commands – a teacher and preacher who tries everyday to convey the truth, love and hope of Christ into the lives of my family and flock. Hours of my week include one-on-one conversations with many of you – exhorting and encouraging you to find God in your circumstances, to change directions when you’re tempted, to struggle with temptation. We pray and play and worship together.

And then there is my own life. Practice what you preach, preacher. Paul’s admonishment to the Jewish leaders is taken to heart. IF I teach and preach the goodness of God and God’s laws are for us to follow, IF I preach that Jesus is the only way, the only truth, the only life for every situation we encounter, and for salvation and peace and hope for me and the world – then, how does my life show that? I am humbled every day with that question: ²³You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Well, yes. Every day. Since I was born, I have broken the laws of God. The 10 commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, all of them. (Well, almost all of them…). I have doubted, hardened my heart, ignored the law, fallen way, way short in my long life. And so what gives me the authority and right to preach and teach to you with a straight face and shouts of joy?

God gave it to me when Jesus saved me from the law and from myself. God has passed on all judgment to Jesus, who paid it all, who died for me, so that I might testify to you the WHOLE truth: I am a sinner forgiven and redeemed forever. Come and listen to what God has done for me and other believers in Christ. “He has done great things for them.” As Paul writes,

²¹Indeed, just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whomsoever he wishes. ²²The Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, ²³so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. ²⁴Very truly, I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life, and does not come under judgment, but has passed from death to life.

And so, in humility and gratefulness, I teach and preach with joy, while I pray for guidance and holiness and pure thoughts and motives, and forgiveness, every day. Because of Christ, I go to sleep with the evening psalm’s assurance:

¹When the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. ²Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with shouts of joy; then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."³The LORD has done great things for us, and we rejoiced.”

Now this will preach!

Daily Scriptures for march 7 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-07T09:18:00.000-05:00

Psalm 5:1-12; Jeremiah 3:6-18; Romans 1:(26-27) 28-2:11; John 5:1-18

When I was raising my kids, as their mother it was always my desire to teach them well, and help them avoid pitfalls. I did not want to punish them – it made my life miserable as well as theirs. I did not want to give up on them, or my parenting skills. I know there were times I spent way too long trying to convince them that behaving badly would not go well for them. Yet, there were times I had to leave them to discover the consequences themselves. Those consequences were my anger, and punishment. But the ones that hurt me the most was the destruction their bad decisions caused. Many times, I could see it coming, because I had been there, done that.

There are bookends to God’s love too: mercy and judgment. I know I risk criticism in our liberal Christian culture, but God is a God of wrath as God is a God or mercy. Those outside – and even inside the faith – don’t want to believe God is a God of wrath, of judgment. They want to believe that God’s primary activity is showing love and compassion and mercy – healing and saving and nourishing. Indeed it is God’s character to call us home, to call us friend and children of God. To welcome us back and teach us the straight and narrow. Indeed God has all the wisdom and knowledge we need for life. Indeed in love God has given us prophets and teachers and the church to teach us how to behave well, to love and nurture us, as we hear Jeremiah proclaim: ⁵I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Indeed, God does love us and desires that we be righteous as God created us. God has given us Jesus as God’s ultimate act of love and mercy, when we would deserve to die.

But lest we believe that God does not show God’s anger and wrath, or will not leave us to ourselves, we are fools. Look around us. God leaves people to do evil things every day. God does not change everyone into well behaved children, obedient and fruitful and loving. God expects us to participate in our healing and our understanding, like the man by the pool, who allowed discouragement and ridicule keep him out of the pool and dependant upon the whims of others to help him. Jesus told him, “Pick up your mat, man! Make the effort to turn away from everything that separates you from the living water, and get to it. Trust ME, not your condition. Climb in and start over.” I can just hear Jesus’ voice: “If you don’t do it, you can just sit there and die.”

The Bible tells us there WILL be a day of wrath. ⁶For he will repay according to each one's deeds: ⁷to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; ⁸while for those who are self-seeking and who obey not the truth but wickedness, there will be wrath and fury.

Wrath comes to those who insist on misbehaving without God, without faith in Christ. Wrath to those who mock the power of the Holy Spirit, and deny there are demons of this world. And some will be judged I think, for failing to believe and failing to participate in life and hope, when they have heard and received understanding and knowledge. To their peril they miss out on the abundant life that could be theirs now and in eternity. And God loses another co-worker for righteousness. When it would seem God has given up on us, I consider again God’s primary character: love. Love in grace and love in truth. Love that calls all people to him, yet insists on a heart for righteousness from those who come.

Daily Scriptures March 6 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-06T08:12:00.000-05:00

Psalm 34:1-22; Jeremiah 2:1-13, 29-32; Romans 1:16-25; John 4:43-54

When I’m thirsty, I forget about good old water – my taste buds are conditioned for soda or a hot cup of coffee. Quenching our spirits is like that. How soon we forget that our thirst in life is for God. Maybe some of us have never stopped long enough to look around and see the evidence of God in our lives, in creation, in the lives of others. Once in awhile, I go to the well, and ponder the darkness and then drink deeply. Once in awhile I get a feeling of thanksgiving and make the connection between the wonders and provisions large and small around me, and God who created them. Once in awhile, I give up all that hinders my search for living water – usually in Lent.

But mostly, I get caught up in my routines, even “righteous” ones, and miss the evidence all around me, among the mystery. I never go to the well at all. I find other ways to satisfy my soul. I believe God gives us evidence all the time, of God’s existence, and God’s purpose, and provision. And God tells us every day what is expected of us: To love God and do justice, and walk humbly in His ways. Come to the well and drink.

We don’t see what this looks like if we don’t even look for God along the roadside, in the quiet, on the mountaintop, at home in school, in our families, and drink from Him the water that is our life. God has placed cisterns of water everywhere, but we have turned away.

For as Jeremiah says of Israel, ¹³for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and dug out cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that can hold no water.

Paul understood all this – and warns us in Romans 1 if we forget the Creator and Sustainer of our lives, if we depend on water from leaky human-made wells to be there for our thirst, we will die. The water will never be sweet wine. ²⁰Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; ²¹for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. ²²Claiming to be wise, they became fools…

For depending on what is unseen can be risky and politically incorrect and plain stupid in the eyes of the world. But we have no excuse: we say we believe and we know God through God’s word, and we have the living water of Christ in us by faith. We have seen people healed – even our own lives have been transformed, if we think about it. If we think deeply, and linger long near the water cooler.

Daily Scriptures March 2 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-02T09:18:00.000-05:00

Psalm 22:1-31; Deuteronomy 10:12-22; Hebrews 4:11-16; John 3:22-36

Enter God’s rest. Resting in God, from all our own ways and worries. Yes indeed. But resting is also an active thing, an act of obedience and pursuit of commandments for love and justice.

²So now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? Only to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³and to keep the commandments of the LORD your God and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being (Deut. 10).

Our own well-being. Our well-being is directly related to the well-being of the community. The well-being of widows and orphans, the poor and hungry. The afflicted, as exquisitely described in Psalm 22. The distressed in body or spirit. The lost. Those who do not know Jesus, who loves and saves and heals and provides. John’s gospel affirms that Jesus had the afflicted in his heart and hands also, as given to him by the Father through the Spirit:

³⁴He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. ³⁵The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. ³⁶Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever disobeys the Son will not see life, but must endure God's wrath. Heart AND hands serve God, for the well-being of all. Saving faith ain’t just about a cozy place in heaven. (John 3).

As we enter into our saving relationship with God through Christ, we enter into God’s rest and God’s peace. But we also enter into the work of peace and justice on earth, where God will place the needy in our hands. Peace without justice is no peace. Therefore let us enter God’s rest with hope for our won well-being as we seek the fullness of God’s intentions for salvation for us and the stranger, lest we forget:

¹¹Let us therefore make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one may fall through such disobedience as theirs. ¹²Indeed, the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. ¹³And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account (Hebrews 4).

Who are the widows and orphans among you today? The entrance to their rest is through a cup of water, a bag of groceries, a hot meal. A hospital visit, a phone call, an act of forgiveness. Enter in with your heart and your hands today.

Daily Lectionary March 1 2007 First Thoughts

2007-03-01T09:23:00.000-05:00

Deuteronomy 9:23-10:5; Hebrews 4:1-10; John 3:16-21

Rest in the Lord. John 3:16-19.¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ¹⁷"Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸Those who believe in him are not condemned…Overworked scripture? Indeed not! In this truth is our rest.

Our rest comes by faith alone in Christ alone, by the grace of God alone. Our rest comes in obedience to the holy laws and guidelines for life given to Moses and passed on to us, that would draw us to God and protect us from ourselves, but not condemn us anymore. Rest comes from assurance that Jesus has interceded for us when no one else could or would. Rest comes in hearing we are loved, no matter what. No matter when. For Israel, for you, for me. For all people, for all time. For today. God’s rest is for eternity.

As the writer of Hebrews beckons us: ³For we who have believed enter that rest… "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts." ⁸For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later about another day. ⁹So then, a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God; ¹⁰for those who enter God's rest also cease from their labors as God did from his.

Rest in the Lord.

From being perfect.

From kicking and screaming through life.

From worry and anxiety.

From striving for more.

From discouragement and loneliness.

In sickness and in health.

From self-loathing,

From guilt.

From making your own way,

having your own way,

forgetting your way,

Rest in the Lord.

From the futile labor of saving ourselves,

of being good enough to enter in,

from wondering about our purpose.

Today, from disbelief in the power of Jesus to love us and save us and equip us and unite us,

may you rest in peace.

Daily Lectionary February 28 2007 First Thoughts

2007-02-28T09:55:00.000-05:00

Psalm 5; Deut 9:13-21; Heb 3:12-19; John 2:23-3:15

Thank God for intercessors – those people who are always looking out for my hard heart, who catch me letting my eyes linger over the bling in life, who bring me back when I want to run. Intercessors, who care for me and my ministry, who love me and encourage me, pray for me. Thank God for Moses who pleaded Israel’s case when they would be doomed, and God listened. Thank God for Jesus, who continues to stand between me and God, ready to intercede and defend and take on my waywardness and ignorance. And thank God for those who pray for me, in Jesus’ name. I know who you are, and I am humbled for it.

The psalmist in psalm 5 was left to plead his own case: ¹Give ear to my words, O LORD;give heed to my sighing. ²Listen to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you I pray. ³O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

Without Jesus and without intercessors who pray in the name and power of Jesus, we’re left with pleading our own case. That is if we come to our senses at all about what we’re doing, how we’re going so wrong. We need prayer for that too. Selling trinkets in the temple, storing up treasures on earth, cramming our schedules with busyness, tolerating all kinds of evil, prayerlessness, indifference, immorality – stubbornness and unkindness, impatience…you name it. Every day, even this partner with Christ, takes her eye of the Master, and every day, I rely on intercessors to help bring me to my senses. Now I know it is the Holy Spirit who does the work – that God is sovereign over my life and my sin and my response and the prayers of my intercessors. God is sovereign over the world. But the mystery is this:

God has called for intercessors to partner with God in the salvation and in the sanctification of God’s people. In coming to faith, and in living by faith. God does not leave us to plead for ourselves. And as I am prayed for, as Moses prayed for Israel, as Jesus prayed for us, I also am called to pray for others: for encouragement, for their peace and for their comfort in this life, but most assuredly, for their salvation in Christ, that others will be “born from above” rather than doomed to live for only what is below. Prayers for others to come to their senses, for spiritual understanding and repentance. To break through stubbornness and pride. And for the journey, prayers for heavenly perspective and earthly good works. For courage and perseverance.

We have a lot to pray about. We have many to pray for. Pray the psalms for someone else today. God is waiting to hear and answer.

Daily Lectionary February 27 2007 First Thoughts

2007-02-27T11:15:00.000-05:00

Psalm 34: 1-22; Deut. 9:1-3;4-12; Hebrews 3:1-11; John 2:13-22; Psalm 25

These texts today humble me. I am so thankful for God’s protection on my life, for God’s provision, and for God’s calling on my life. The psalmist cry has often been my hope:

The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry. ¹⁶The face of the LORD is against evildoers, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. ¹⁷When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears, and rescues them from all their troubles. ¹⁸The LORD is near to the broken-hearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. ¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD rescues them from them all.

But reading on in Deuteronomy, God protects and prospers me not because I am righteous and worthy – deserving, holy. But because God hates evil and desires justice above all else, for all people, and keeps promises to those who still screw up. God ran off Israel’s oppressors because God hates oppression. God defeated our enemies for the same reason: not because we deserve freedom, we who are the oppressed and also the oppressors, in one way or the other. God saves us because God can, and because this act reflects God’s unconditional love, which is God’s glory. Psalm 25 says it like this: For your goodness sake, O Lord, do not remember my sins…” Not for MY goodness sake does God act to save. It’s is always for God’s glory and God’s Kingdom ways that God saves and protects and calls us. And in response and humility, we serve this just God as holy partners. Holy because God is holy.

The writer of Hebrews refers to us as “holy partners in a heavenly calling”, again not because of our righteous behavior, but because of our faith in Christ, the most holy, the perfectly righteous One. Our faith in Christ makes us righteous, our belief in the One who has overcome all evil and oppression with his death. Disobedience then is not just forgetting the commandments, screwing up again, going our own way in our day to day lives. The hard hearted are those who do not believe in the only One who crosses over before us to defeat the enemies of our souls (Deut. 9:3).

⁹He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. ¹⁰All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his decrees. ¹¹For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. ¹²Who are they that fear the LORD? He will teach them the way that they should choose. ¹³They will abide in prosperity and their children shall possess the land. ¹⁴The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes his covenant known to them (Psalm 25).

Daily Lectionary February 26 2007 First Thoughts

2007-02-26T07:38:00.000-05:00

Psalm 119:73-80; Deut. 8:1-20; Hebrews 2:11-18; John 2:1-12

“Do whatever he tells you.”

My first reaction to Jesus’ mother’s words to the wine stewards in Cana, if I were them, would be to ask her, “Why? And why should I do whatever this carpenter apprentice tells me? I know my business. What does he know about wine? What does he know about me? What does he know about anything?”

This would be what I’d wonder. This is what I confess I wonder myself. Sometimes I have trouble trusting God in the moment, with the things I believe I understand more about than anyone: like my relationships, my preaching, the care of the flock, my family, my pain and my experiences with life. As I hear Mary’s words, I can say I believe, but do I trust? Do I trust that Jesus knows absolutely everything about me and the world and pain and joy – about whatever - that I would do whatever he tells me?

In our society, we don’t like those words, “Do whatever he tells you.” We don’t trust anyone absolutely. Well, our only hope is to trust only God, not the gods of this life. It is a trust and obey issue. Not just to follow all the laws and commandments, but first to enter into a relationship with God, by faith in Christ. How do we enter in?

It begins as I consider God’s promises to all God’s people, and I remember, with them, God’s fulfilled promises of rescue, provision, protection, faithfulness, wisdom, belonging. As I consider the miracles and signs and wonders when people encounter Jesus. I first need to listen to the other stories – in the Bible, at the weddings and classrooms, offices, prisons, and neighborhoods about the mystery of the Holy Spirit’s power. And then, consider my own life. Do I really know everything there is to know about my life?

I thank God for Mary, who on that day in Cana was proud as punch of a son the servants thought only a mother could boast about. I thank God they obeyed him and gave me the witness. As he entered into his ministry, so we can enter into his life. God promises that we shall be complete in Christ – fully human, loved, known, equipped and empowered, by faith in this carpenter who could change water into wine. This carpenter is my brother, my Savior, my Lord.

And I will try to do whatever he tells me. Today, he tells me Come to me all you who are weary going it alone, thinking you know it all, carrying the burden of pride, seeking rescue or wisdom or peace… come to me and I will give you…whatever you ask.