God in the Details

C-H-A-N-G-E

2011-12-27T08:54:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 43:18-19 (Click to read passage before reading devotion below)

The often-repeated Lutheran joke:

Q: How many Lutherans does it take to change a lightbulb?

A: (said loudly) CHANGE?!?!?

As humans, we seem to have a love-hate relationship with change.

On a biological level, it is necessary. It is actually when things mutate and change that the new is possible. Species adapt, new variations show up. Said simply, in the natural world, change is not only necessary and built into the universe, it is responsible for everything we call beautiful.

When it comes to our deepest dreams and passions, we actually crave change. This is most powerfully evident in the rituals and celebrations surrounding New Year's Eve in our culture. We crave that sense of newness, the very real possibility at a clean slate and a fresh start. We make lists of New Year's resolutions. We crave the kind of change that can usher in new life.

The problem is that the structures we build, both physical and organizational, oppose change by their very nature. Structures are built to be constant - to provide...well...structure.

So there has to be a happy medium between tradition and openness to the new...and this delicate dance has characterized the Christian Church's life since its very beginning. When do we trust that the "new" is God's action, as in the passage linked above? And when do we cling to the past to ride out the storms? There is no perfect answer, but committing ourselves to the struggle is the work of the faithful modern church.

For a much more articulate and clear statement of this same issue, click below to read the thoughts of one of our ELCA Bishops on "Insiders and Outsiders." His piece is brilliant, and if you are a member of St. Luke in Slinger, you will hear more about his words in the coming months...

Click here to read Bishop Mike Reinhart's thoughts about "Insiders and Outsiders."

Prayer:

God of grace and truth, you are always doing a new thing in our midst. Give us the trust to follow you into uncharted waters, confident that with you by our side, we will navigate any storm. Amen.

There's More to Life than Ideas

2011-12-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

Acts 28:23-31 (click to read passage)

Reflection:

Christianity is not a set of ideas to be believed, but a deeper reality into which we are invited to live. In the modern world, reason has been hailed as the greatest good. The scientific method, combined with deductive reasoning, tells us “truths” about our world, right? So the most important thing must be thinking the right things about God, right?

But what we must struggle to understand is that our intellect only gives us one set of truths about the world…rational thinking only reveals one aspect of reality. God is not an idea that we have to wrap our minds around, but instead the very source of love and the very source of life.

Paul is right to quote Isaiah…and Isaiah was right to list the challenges to faith like he did. Indeed, faith involves more than just intellectual assent – it involves listening, looking, and a sensitivity of the heart that perceives the goodness of God all around us.

Maybe we have been de-sensitized (literally) into thinking that thinking is all there is. Maybe the Christ child is inviting us out into deeper waters than our intellects can allow. Maybe this Christmas will be about listening, looking, and sensing with our hearts the goodness of God that comes in ways we’ll never figure out with our heads (in fact, figuring it out with our heads is not the point).

Prayer: God of love, give us the grace to trust you even when, or especially when, our intellects fail us. In that trust, re-sensitize us to your loving presence. Amen.

The World Really Is Flat (or at least it needs to be)

2011-12-06T07:22:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 26:7-15

Reflection:

Who would have known? North Dakota may be the holiest place in the U.S.

As many of you know, I lived in Fargo, North Dakota for three years from 2005-2008. Every year, when Advent would come, and we would hear from the prophet Isaiah about “preparing a way for the Lord,” I would start to wonder if North Dakota really was a exceptionally holy place. Why? Because Isaiah tells us that “valleys will be raised and mountains will be brought low” to prepare the way of the Lord. Essentially, the Lord really likes walking on flat ground…and North Dakota is FLAT.

In the Bible reading linked above, we hear the ancient prophet explain a little more about what this means. However, his explanation challenges our modern associations with the word “judgment.”

In the passage above, Isaiah says that “the way of the righteous is level,” and “in the path of your judgments, O Lord, we wait for you…”

When I read that, I picture God’s judgments a bit like an earth mover preparing for a new freeway; filling in the low places and bringing down the high places so the roadbed is perfectly flat.

Understood this way, God’s judgments are like the judgments of a judge – case by case, making wrongs right and bringing equality and justice. It is not that God judges us like people judge us – making assumptions about us and treating us differently because of those assumptions. No, the Bible tells us that from his throne, THIS judge raises up those who are low and humbles those who are on their high horse. If the unexpected turns of life have us feeling low, this is good news – God will make the wrongs right. However, if we are comfortable and resting high above those in need, this passage can be a warning. God really prefers flat ground – where those in need are fed and those with plenty understand themselves as blessed TO BE a blessing to others.

So as I read the passage above one more time, I take great comfort in the fact that my main job is to wait in the path of God’s leveling love. Maybe, my time in North Dakota helped me see the beauty of flat ground…

Prayer: God of justice and love, if we are low, raise us up to live in your love. If we are too high, humble us and bring us into the path of your joy and abundant life. Amen.

Falling into Thanksgiving...

2011-11-22T13:48:00.000-08:00

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’

(Luke 22:19)

Yes, everything is for your sake, so that grace, as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

(2 Corinthians 4:15)

Reflection:

As I write this, just outside my window I can see the last few leaves letting go of the trees. Even from inside, the air looks crisp with the temperatures of late fall. Even the smell of that air brings up memories of Thanksgivings past and the anticipation that Christmas is near.

Today is one of those days we all have from time to time. I am working from my dining room. My wife has the flu, my son has an ear infection, and my daughter doesn’t have school. Tonight, we are slated to be the overnight hosts for Family Promise at the church. The mounting responsibilities I must attend to, combined with the family responsibilities that were unplanned make for a stressful mix of long to-do lists and little time.

If your life is like mine (and from conversations with many of you I know that it is), you are often in situations where it is tempting to focus on what is not going right…to be upset about the ways in which things are not as they should be. I wish my wife were feeling better. I wish my son were well. I wish I had more time today to get the things done that must be done. I wish I didn’t have to work late tonight to make up for this unplanned time at home attending to my family. I wish, I wish, I wish…

Beneath all of that, though, runs a quiet sense of peace today…and the peace I feel begins with thanksgiving. Not the day, but the attitude. That sense of peace begins with a recognition of how richly blessed I am.

Every Sunday, we re-tell the story of how Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it for his disciples. This part of the service is even called “The Great Thanksgiving.” Biblically speaking, being a grateful person is part and parcel of being a Christian. We live in thanksgiving – a recognition that all that we have an all that we are is pure gift. Then, like the second verse linked above, our main job as the church is to do the things that extend to others that sense of thanksgiving.

It all boils down to this; there is a simple truth that many modern self-help books will tell you – but it is a truth that existed in the pages of the Bible long before that: GRATITUDE IS THE HEART OF JOY.

So today, take 5 minutes. On a piece of paper, or a blank document on your computer, attempt to make a list of everything you have to be thankful for. Keep writing. Keep typing. We all have much to be grateful for, and intentionally focusing on that tends to put our sorrows or hardships in the proper perspective.

Then, take a moment and look at your list…and offer a simple prayer of thanks to the One who has blessed you with it all.

Happy Thanksgiving from your Pastor & your St. Luke family!

Prayer: God of every good gift, inspire in us deep sense of gratitude for the lives we have. Help us not to measure our days by what we don’t have, but live in the joy that comes from recognizing what we do have. Amen.

Which Comes First?

2011-10-13T12:47:00.000-07:00

Romans 2:1-4 (click link to read passage before continuing on to Reflection)

Reflection:

Some timeless questions:

Which came first? The chicken or the egg?

Which comes first? Repentance or forgiveness?

Said another way:

Does repentance lead to forgiveness? Or is it the other way around?

I know for some, what I say here is going to be a little provocative – that's good. But consider the above verses. They were written to those who thought that the forgiveness offered through Jesus was like a free ticket. They knew they were forgiven, and used their freedom to cast judgments on others for their sins. Paul is reminding them that God's forgiveness, which is freely offered through Christ, is meant to inspire repentance not arrogance.

Here's the pitfall: When you think it is your repentance that causes God's forgiveness, it's an easy road to arrogant judgment of others. But when you recognize that God's forgiveness always comes as undeserved gift, it's a little harder to fancy yourself more deserving than anyone else.

So maybe, just maybe, we've answered one of the timeless questions above. Maybe we are doing it in the wrong order on Sunday morning – maybe God's forgiveness always comes first, and then leads us into a life of humility and repentance.

You'll have to ask someone else about the chicken/egg question…

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to avoid casting judgments on others – instead, help us to use our energy in humble self-assessment. Change our hearts, O God… Amen.

Declaration of Dependence

2011-10-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Exodus 16:11-16, 19-20

Reflection:

Take only what you need, and don’t hoard it for tomorrow.

Oh, how the promise of self-sufficiency lured the Israelites in. “If I gather a bunch now, then tomorrow I and my family will be well-fed, whether the bread comes again or not…”

For them and for us, this scripture is a lesson in dependence…and not the kind that renders us helpless, only to wait on the gifts of God – but the kind that breeds simple trust in God’s goodness and mercy.

In the grasps of our own materialism and consumer culture, it is a message we need to hear as well…So, as Steven Curtis Chapman (a contemporary Christian music artist) said years ago in a song, “This is our declaration of dependence!”

Prayer: Gracious God, help us to trust that come what may, you are faithful and your promises are sure. Amen.

Divine, Fierce Passion

2011-10-05T09:50:00.000-07:00

Song of Solomon 8:5-7

Reflection:

Is the Bible one book, or a collection of many books?

The answer: Yes.

There is a rich story behind every book of the Bible and why it was ultimately included in the collection we now call “The Bible.” Some books were written as moment-by-moment historical accounts. Some were written as biographies (the Gospels). Some songs were included. Some teaching stories, like parables, were included. There was even some love poetry that got included.

The above reading is from the book “Song of Solomon,” which is Hebrew love poetry. It is a love song between two young lovers. At first glance, you might wonder why it is included in a Holy Book.

But…what is human love but an imperfect reflection of the love that spoke the world into existence? What is passion between young lovers but a faint echo of the passion that God felt for us most powerfully on the cross? If human love is powerful, and we know it is…divine love is more powerful still.

So, the people of God have claimed this love poetry as part of their scriptures because it is an example of the love God has for God’s people. And notice it’s not just a warm-fuzzy love, like we often like to think of it…it is as strong as death (and stronger!)…as fierce as the grave (and fiercer!). It is a raging flame.

May you be consumed by that flame today…so much so that you can’t help but go out and set the world ablaze with this fierce, strong love from above.

Prayer: Loving God, you are the source and ground of all that is, including the passion and love we feel. Help us to know that we can love because you first loved us…and transform our hearts so that we may more perfectly mirror your divine care. Amen.

Building a House

2011-10-04T08:12:00.000-07:00

1 Peter 2:4-10

Reflection:

As I type this, I can hear the sounds of hammers and the occasional “pop” of a nail gun. Just outside my window, there is a group of dedicated volunteers building a new storage garage on the church grounds.

If you would have come by the church a few days ago, you would have seen a pile of plywood, a stack of trusses, and various other building materials laying on a concrete slab. Today, the work of our volunteers has transformed that seemingly random stack of materials into a building that will soon be used for a specific purpose.

Peter, in his first letter, uses this same image for the church. Visiting the temple to offer sacrifices and “pay” for sins is no longer an option for his readers. So, he says, let us be built into a spiritual house for God – like living stones. Then, built by God into that structure, we will be used for a specific purpose – to “proclaim the mighty acts” of God.

I see this happen every Sunday. A seemingly random collection of people from every different background are gathered, empowered, and sent to serve. Once we were not A PEOPLE, but now we are God’s people.

So, the next time you are in church, listen carefully. You may not hear the “pop” of a nail gun, but you may just notice the construction of a holy people…

Prayer: Gracious God, you gather us and empower us for a purpose – to be the place you dwell in the world. Help us to serve our purpose well, and function as a place where all people can come to be connected with your love and your will for their lives. Amen.

Gratitude & Grass Seed

2011-07-05T19:15:00.001-07:00

2 Corinthians 9:1-15

The Collection for Christians at Jerusalem

Now it is not necessary for me to write to you about the ministry to the saints, for I know your eagerness, which is the subject of my boasting about you to the people of Macedonia, saying that Achaia has been ready since last year; and your zeal has stirred up most of them. But I am sending the brothers in order that our boasting about you may not prove to have been empty in this case, so that you may be ready, as I said you would be; otherwise, if some Macedonians come with me and find that you are not ready, we would be humiliated—to say nothing of you—in this undertaking. So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you, and arrange in advance for this bountiful gift that you have promised, so that it may be ready as a voluntary gift and not as an extortion.

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written,

‘He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor;

his righteousness endures for ever.’

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Reflection:

When we lived in North Dakota, I learned how to spread grass seed (not a skill often useful growing up in Arizona!) The very first time I did it was when we put more dirt in the front yard of the parsonage, in order to landscape it a bit.

Months later, you could still see the effects of my mistake. I begun spreading seed up against the side of the house, and continued out toward the street from there. Up close to the house, not much grass took root. Reading today’s passage reminds me why…

You see, when I first started scattering seed, I was in a mindset of scarcity. I didn’t know how long the seed would last, so I “sowed sparingly.” As I got further away from the house, I slowly became more confident that we would have enough seed. The further from the house I got, the more “bountifully” I sowed.

As Paul says, “the point is this;” if our eyes are always on the reserve, we will always sow sparingly, never sure there will be enough. Instead, we must make a conscious decision to focus on the goal.

This Sunday, we will talk more about how God sows…and how we are encouraged to sow in response. (I’ll give you a hint: I bet the grass in the Garden of Eden was lush and full!)

Prayer: God of all good gifts, inspire in us the joy that recognizes your blessings and is eager to give so that others might be blessed as well. Amen.

Hopefully Anchored

2011-07-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hebrews 6:18b-20a

“…we who have taken refuge [are] strongly encouraged to seize the hope set before us. 19We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, 20where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered…”

Reflection:

Every day I live, I become more and more convinced that the opposite of fear is hope.

The profound passage above is one of those that many people never realized was in the Bible. The beautiful image of hope as “a steadfast anchor of the soul” is one that takes some time to ponder…

Sometimes, the faithful thing to do is to pull up anchor and let God lead you like a river’s current.

Sometimes, even the attempt to control the current is an exercise in arrogance and futility at the same time.

But sometimes, the waters churn and crash so much that the only thing to do is to drop anchor and pray.

My family experienced one of those times recently. On Wednesday, word came that my uncle, in desperation and despair, ended his own life. The pain this has caused in my family is a bit like the crashing waves…

I share this, not to “air our dirty laundry” or tell something that shouldn’t be told, but because I believe that as a pastor, my most profound “job” is to point others to the hope that sustains us in this life.

Whether you have lost a family member to suicide, struggled with suicidal thoughts yourself, or simply know the pain of enduring challenges and changes you hadn’t wished for, I have no doubt that every single person reading this message (and the one writing it) have need to drop anchor occasionally; to buffet ourselves against the onslaught of trouble.

But remember, the opposite of fear is…HOPE.

Hope that Jesus’ death really did destroy the ultimate power of death…

Hope that the struggles we endure here never have the final say…

Hope that the curtain of the temples HAS been torn in two and we all have access to God’s love…

Hope that my uncle, though he suffered terribly in this life, now rests in the arms of love…

Hope that nothing, truly nothing, can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

That’s the hope that anchors me in this time…and the hope that will anchor you when the waters churn and crash.

Thanks be to God for hope, for Christ, for a love that is more powerful than even the most difficult death.

Prayer: Gracious God, we pray that you ground us, anchor us, in your unending love for us. Help us to see past our struggles to see every tomorrow resting in your hands…Amen.

Being a "Hose" for Jesus

2011-06-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

James 3:13-17

(click link to read passage before reading reflection below)

Reflection:

Martin Luther didn't really like the book of James. He thought it didn't talk enough about the free grace of Christ, and instead put too much emphasis on good works.

However, there is a key piece of wisdom in the above passage. At first glance, the first verse may seem to support Luther's reason for disliking James. "Show by your good life that your works are done…" But look at the context. In essence, James is reminding us that any good works done for selfish ambition are actually unspiritual and devilish.

No, the "good works" of which James speaks spring forth from wisdom. Biblical wisdom is the human imitation of divine care for all. Just look at the adjectives James uses in that final verse: this wisdom is peaceful, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. Doesn't sound like any human wisdom I've ever encountered.

So, before we lose our Lutheran grounding in God's undeserved grace by focusing on how we can be such great people, let's remember that the above adjectives describe divine love, and our challenge is simply to pray every day, every hour, even every minute, that as much as possible, that divine love flows through us to others.

It's a bit like being called to be a hose. I know that sounds weird...stick with me.

Hoses don't do anything special. In fact, if they are not plugged into a source, they don't do anything at all. But when they are plugged into a source, they simply take the water they receive and deliver it somewhere else. The fact that it is able to carry out that task doesn't make it a really good hose, or worthy of any special praise (imagine patting it and saying "good hose!"). No, that's ridiculous - that's just what hoses DO - they take water from the source and deliver it where it is needed.

So it is with our good works. We take the wisdom, grace, humility, and love we receive from God, and simply offer those things to those we encounter. We don't need a big pat on the back, or for someone to make it all about us. It's just what Christians DO.

That's how a Lutheran reads the book of James (at least how this Lutheran does…)

Prayer: God of grace, make us a conduit for your love today, that others might come to know, not how great we are, but how great you are. Amen.

Does Everything Happen For a Reason?

2011-05-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose..." (Romans 8:28)

"Everything happens for a reason..." (American "proverb" that many assume is based on Biblical principles)

Reflection:

My wife loves knitting. And she's good at it.

She keeps telling me "Russell Crowe knits" to remind me it's not just for women.

I say, "Good for Russell Crowe..."

I was watching her knit an especially challenging project one time - a project that included several balls of yarn. She'd pick up one color and bring it in, then the next, then the next.

The balls of yarn were all beautiful colors - except one. There was one ugly, bland brown ball of yarn.

But what amazed me was that, as the project developed, her masterful skills threaded that single strand of brown in and out of the other colors until the entire thing was stunning - truly a work of art. I guess that's what really talented knitters can do. Even that ugly brown ball of yarn became part of something beautiful.

In my life as a pastor, I hear people say "Everything happens for a reason" a lot. It is a source of comfort for many; the idea that when something bad happens, even though we might not understand the purpose, there must be one...

But what if there isn't?

What if, sometimes, bad things happen? Either because of our poor choices, or chance, or genetics, or the poor choices of others? What if, sometimes, things just happen even if we wish they wouldn't?

See, the reason I don't like that phrase is that it assumes God is a big puppet master. If someone is in a car accident, and there is a fatality, this phrase silently insinuates that God caused the death...

Why? To teach others a lesson? That's not the God I believe in, and it's not the God pictured in the Bible, if read as a whole.

Maybe, God is like a master knitter, taking the ugly, the bland, the painful, the impossible, and still weaving those threads into the whole fabric that is your life?

What if God is really that talented and good and kind and gracious?

What if, in the fabric of my personality, gifts, and flaws, God has allowed even the hardest experiences I've had to be part of the beautiful whole?

What if all things really DO work together for good for those who love the Lord, because God's determined not to waste any of our experiences?

What if, by God's grace, the ugly experiences can in the end make us more gracious, forgiving, and open?

Does this mean God caused our pain to make us that way, or does it mean God is busy knitting?

Today, my prayer is that whatever you are going through, you trust in the promise that whether you sense it or not, God is busy knitting in your life, too...

A Trust Fall

2011-05-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Psalm 146 (click link to read passage before reading Devotion below)

"The world's going to end - do you know where you're going?"
"Repent or burn!"
"Believe!"

These are all slogans of a brand of Christianity I struggle with.
The first two, you probably agree with. You probably struggle with that mindset as well.
The third one, though - why would a pastor say he doesn't like encouraging people to believe?

It is because the Biblical idea of "belief" has been hi-jacked by our cultural baggage.

The math teacher tells you to "believe" that 2+2=4.
The history teacher tells you to "believe" that the Holocaust did, in fact, happen.
The preacher tells you to "believe" in Jesus.

These three are not the same.
The first two have to do with my head...what I think. What I believe to be factually true.

When the word "believe" is used in the Bible, however, it is much deeper than that.
Believing in Jesus doesn't mean agreeing with the intellectual idea that he died and rose again.
Believing in Jesus is much more like the picture above.
Reach out to him.
Let yourself fall into his arms.
Trust him.

If you're like me, though - you don't force yourself to trust someone. It isn't an act of will.
It is a by-product of a relationship. You spend enough time with someone, you learn that they mean what they say, you begin to trust them.

Today is my last blog entry before the Apocalypse. According to Familyradio.com, the "rapture" will occur tomorrow evening, May 21st, at 6:00 PM. While I could write a whole blog entry about how this is the "wrong" way to read the Bible, and how I think it is precisely this brand of Christianity that most turns people off, I will simply say this:

I trust in God's unbounded love for all. Period.
I don't trust in humans' ability to figure out the "hidden math" in the Bible.
I don't trust in a fringe group's ability to frighten people into believing in a non-Biblical picture of Jesus.
I don't trust in my own abilities, because those are limited, too...
I trust in God's unbounded love for all. Period.

So, if tomorrow's the Apocalypse, bring it on.
If not, fine - Sunday's sermon is already written.
Either way, I believe I am falling into the arms of love...

Why Being A Christian Is Harder Than It Looks

2011-05-04T11:10:00.000-07:00

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’

Romans 12:19

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…’

Matthew 5:43-44

Reflection:

On Sunday night, Jess, the kids and I were still at my mother’s house in AZ, on vacation. We had just put the kids to bed, and we were looking forward to playing card games with my mom because it was our last night with her. Then, a text came over my mom’s phone. “Turn on the TV – big news!”

We then sat for the next hour watching the details as they came in. Photos of Osama bin Laden, archive footage of the towers falling on 9/11/01, and tons of talking heads telling us what they thought this meant. As our President spoke and confirmed the rumors, I felt a sense of national pride, a sense of relief, and a sense of disturbed sadness all at the same time.

The first two emotions were motivated by my patriotism, my sense of fairness, and my assumption that bad people deserve bad things. The third emotion, though – the disturbed sadness – I believe came from my life studying the Bible.

You see, we often want Christianity or Jesus to validate, confirm, or support the basic reactions and emotions we have as people. We want there to be some verse in the Bible that tells us it is OK for us to joyously celebrate this man’s demise. He was a mass-murderer for crying out loud! Isn’t it OK to be thrilled he’s dead, God?

Jesus had a lot of encounters with people who wanted him to validate their human emotions of vengeance, greed, or fairness. The disciples had an argument in front of him about which one of them was the greatest, but Jesus re-directed their conversation. A lawyer approached him, asking what he had to do to earn his way into heaven. Jesus re-directed the question. People lined the streets with palm branches in hand, expecting Jesus to offer military revenge to the occupying Roman army. Jesus re-directed their eyes to the cross.

Thus, my disturbed sadness…because from studying and reading the Bible, I know that the part of me that is a citizen of this country still has to come under the part of me that follows the God of all people. I know that we have to struggle with the things that Jesus said and did, because he does NOT simply justify or validate our human need for revenge or what we think is “fairness.” I know that asking God to be fair actually means I’m out of the promise, as well. I know that expecting God to judge like I would is a problem, because I judge imperfectly.

So, my emotions about the news stay mixed up and confused, and I’m OK with that. I am relieved that someone who caused such suffering is no longer able to do so. I am saddened that sometimes in this broken world, violence is a necessary evil (and I am able to recognize it still as an evil, no matter how good it feels). And I am attempting to trust in the two verses I placed above. As difficult as it might be, I can even pray for the soul of this murderer…because it is God who has the final say, not me.

Sometimes, being a Christian makes you do things you never thought you’d do.

Prayer: God of love, mercy, and grace, we pray for all those who suffered because of bin Laden. We pray for all those who bravely brought him to human justice. And we pray for ourselves, that we might find peace and humility in trusting that your justice will always have the final say. Amen.

To Be Schooled In the Ways of Love

2011-04-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

(click link to read passage)

Reflection:

Dr. Mahmoudi was his name. He was my professor for Sociology 101 my very first semester in college. I still consider him to be one of the most intelligent people I have ever met. Sure, he had more degrees and more initials after his name than I could count…but that’s not what impressed me. It was his willingness to continue learning…it was his outlook on life; that every day teaches us something new. It was as though all of his education had given him a healthy humility about the limitations of human wisdom.

That was probably the most profound lesson he could have passed on to me. Sure, I had to finish both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree to become a pastor – but my foolishness is even more evident to me now than it was before I began.

Indeed, as Paul explains today, the profound wisdom of God looks like foolishness to us. A God sacrificing himself to save a stubborn and stiff-necked people? Preposterous. One death crushing the power of death forever? Nonsense. A servant-savior? Who ever heard of such a thing?

This Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we will be schooled in the ways of love. More profound than any theological discourse is the silence we encounter at the foot of the cross. And more powerful than all the world’s knowledge is the Easter Dawn.

Prayer: Foolish Father, teach us to be wise as you are wise that we might boast, not in our own accomplishments or wisdom, but in your love working through us. Amen.

Heaven In The Real World

2011-04-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

Matthew 22:23-33 The Question about the Resurrection

(Click link to read passage)

Reflection:

It is possible to be so heavenly-minded that you are no earthly good.

In the passage linked above, Jesus has an interaction with some folks who fit this description. They propose a heavenly thought experiment – if someone is married multiple times in this life, who will they be married to in heaven?

Jesus rejects even the premise of their question, and then utters a sentence that, if we really listen, can radically alter the way we approach this thing we call Christianity:

“He is God, not of the dead, but of the living…”

Maybe, Christianity is about God’s presence in THIS life…& NOT just about how to get into heaven.

Maybe, the Church is a dynamic, lively community of everyday people seeking peace, deep joy, and guidance…& NOT just a salvation store.

Maybe, Baptism is an event that sets the tone for an entire life of counter-cultural love…& NOT just something you do to “hedge your bet” if this Jesus gig turns out to be real.

Maybe this living, breathing, everyday, real-world God calls us to engage the living, breathing, everyday, hurting world!

In the next week, we will be living out the story that bears the deepest witness to this God-of-the-Living. We will hear about Jesus’ passion, compassion, and mission. We will sing our praises once again – not to a dead hero, but to a living Lord!

Prayer: God of the living, so often we reduce your message to a way into heaven. Help us to see that you care about our future – but that you also care about our present. Show us the ways we can care about this world in a way that reflects your priorities. Amen.

Losing My Religion

2011-04-12T07:39:00.000-07:00

Ephesians 2:1-10 (click link to read passage)

Reflection:

By definition, Christianity is not a “religion.”

From the dawn of humanity, “religions” have been systems of belief through which humans attempt to appease, please, or otherwise affect the “gods.” These systems of belief have a moral and ritual code of conduct. Blessings, or other favors, are procured from the gods through right behavior or ritual action. Essentially, religions are systems by which humans attempt to gain the favor of the gods by their correct behavior.

With this understanding, Christianity is the anti-religion.

Except that we have expended an awful lot of energy turning it back into a religion.

The human sense of fairness understands the world in a tit-for-tat, mechanistic way. If you do good things, good things happen to you; and vice-versa. So, the logic goes, if you follow the rules, you will earn God’s blessings; and if you don’t, you will earn God’s wrath.

With this very human understanding, we have turned Christianity back into a religion. A high percentage of Christians in this country think of it as a system of rules with blessings or curses attached. Many of its most zealous adherents have boiled it down to a moralistic and judgmental system of black-and-white thinking.

Against that backdrop, read verses 8 and 9 of the passage above one more time. Let it sink in. Let it destroy your concept of fairness. Let it erode your moralistic, you-get-what-you-deserve assumptions about God.

Grace is a gift; an action of God that we didn’t cause by being “right.”

Jesus is a gift; an action of God that we didn’t cause by being “right.”

Salvation is a gift; an action of God that none of us earns by being “right.”

If this basic…Biblical…anti-religious truth could sink in, I imagine our churches would be packed. Folks would finally realize that Christians aren’t here to judge others or proclaim themselves better; but merely to celebrate the gifts of God!

So, here’s to losing our religion! Maybe by doing so, we’ll gain a sense of God’s love!

Prayer: God of every time and place; our human understandings have so twisted the message of the cross. Give us the humility and joy that comes from recognizing your free gifts of grace and love. Amen.

Thirsty!

2011-03-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

Exodus 17:1-7 Click to read passage

Reflection:

Have you ever had that feeling of extreme thirst? Maybe it was after a great workout, or after mowing the lawn in the heat of summer….but have you ever come in, grabbed a glass of cold water, and not been able to drink it fast enough to quench your thirst?

Can you imagine being in the company of the Israelites in the desert? They’ve been freed from slavery, but at times they think it would be better to go back, because at least as slaves, they had enough to eat and enough to drink. They are hungry, thirsty, and tired.

The thing that Moses knew, and that the people continued to forget, was that God had promised to walk with them, even through the desert – even through the thirst. The spring of living water we will hear more about this Sunday is actually travelling WITH them through the driest time of their lives! All they have to do is ask, and this spring of living water can even break forth from a rock!

Do you trust in the same promise? Whatever is happening in your life that has you thirsty for grace, acceptance, and unconditional love, do you trust that your God travels with you through the desert? Or do you think God is trapped in religious buildings, rituals and rules?

Come this Sunday to hear more about the God who travels with us through the desert, and brings the living water we seek from the most unexpected places.

Prayer: God of grace, you have promised to be a ‘god on the move’ travelling with your people wherever they go. Help us to trust that even in the driest and thirstiest times in our lives, you will never leave us without the water and grace we seek. Amen.

Free Food?!?

2011-03-23T08:34:00.001-07:00

Isaiah 55:1-11 (click link to read passage)

Take a moment – close your eyes – and think of the best family meal time you can remember. Maybe it was during a holiday celebration. Maybe it was a birthday. Maybe it was at a reunion. What is the best memory you have of a meal with your family?

Now answer this question: how much did you pay for that meal? My guess is – it was free – and it was more satisfying than any meal you’ve paid good money for.

My meal memories swirl around Christmas, when uncles, aunts and cousins from far away would come. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the fresh bowl of chilled shrimp; I can still hear the loud sounds of kids playing and adults laughing. Those are some of my most treasured memories, and they surrounded a meal – not one bought at a store, or one that came in a package – but a meal that only existed because of the people who gathered around it.

The same image is present in the passage from Isaiah. This word of hope is coming to a people who are in exile in a foreign land. They are in crisis, and in times of crisis, often people return to the things that matter – to family, to friends, to relying on a community of others.

As I listened to the news on the radio this morning on my way into church, there was a report about the incredible suffering in Japan. One man who was interviewed had a very stoic and realistic approach, however – he said, “this is the time you return to the things that matter.” Japan’s economy is faltering. Money isn’t useful if the stores aren’t open. But the houses of neighbors, family, and friends are always open.

So maybe you can hear those opening words of Isaiah 55 a little differently now – “everyone who thirsts – come to the waters – and you that have no money – come buy and eat!” This is about family – God’s family – where the meals and the grace are always free.

Prayer: God of love, you invite us to step out of our consumer mindset to recognize that you don’t charge us for your gifts. Help us to humbly receive, and freely share the amazing life you have provided. Amen.

The Light Meets the Dark

2011-03-15T09:17:00.000-07:00

John 1:1-5 (click link to read passage)

Reflection:

Have you ever turned on a flashlight in a dark room and been afraid it wasn’t going to work? Not because the batteries are dead, but because you’re afraid this time, the darkness will be stronger than the light? Of course not! That’s not how flashlights work. Even a dim flashlight scatters the darkness.

From a purely scientific point of view, darkness is not its own “thing.” It is merely the absence of light. Darkness cannot be strong, powerful, or deep enough to overcome even the smallest light. Darkness has no power. By definition, it is the void left when power and light aren’t present.

So why is it that so often, we think our own personal darkness has power? Why is it that we think somehow, our pasts, our secrets, our pains are strong enough to choke out God’s love?

The opening words of the Gospel of John, linked above, remind us of this powerful truth. The same God we hear about in Genesis speaking LIGHT and LIFE into the void shows up on the cross. The same God who showed up on the cross breaks into our daily lives as well.

Whatever is going on in your world today, take heart that God’s Light shines in the darkness – and the darkness CANNOT, WILL NOT overcome it…

The video I placed in this blog today is of a song by the group Tenth Avenue North entitled “Healing Begins.” The lyrics are printed below. Pay particular attention to the refrain: “This is where the healing begins…when you come to where you’re broken within – the light meets the dark”

LYRICS:

So you thought you had to keep this up

All the work that you do

So we think that you're good

And you can't believe it's not enough

All the walls you built up

Are just glass on the outside

So let 'em fall down

There's freedom waiting in the sound

When you let your walls fall to the ground

We're here now

This is where the healing begins, oh

This is where the healing starts

When you come to where you're broken within

The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out

Everything that you hide

Can come crashing through the door now

But too scared to face all your fear

So you hide but you find

That the shame won't disappear

So let it fall down

There's freedom waiting in the sound

When you let your walls fall to the ground

We're here now

We're here now, oh

This is where the healing begins, oh

This is where the healing starts

When you come to where you're broken within

The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides

With the dark inside of us

So please don't fight

This coming light

Let this blood come cover us

His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins, oh

This is where the healing starts

When you come to where you're broken within

The light meets the dark

Prayer: God of Light and Life, give me the trust I need to let your light shine even into the deepest darkness I keep secret from others. Heal me with your Word, your Light, your Life. Amen.

Flaws like Gold

2011-02-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 (click link to read passage)

Reflection:

Paul had some sort of issue – we are not sure what it was. Maybe he had a stutter. Maybe he had chronic migraines. Whatever it was, however, it was disruptive enough for him to call it “a messenger from Satan.” He begged God to remove it from him, but God’s response was simple; “my grace is enough for you – for power is made perfect in weakness.”

At first glance, God’s response seems at once uncaring and unintelligible. What in the world does it mean that “power is made perfect in weakness?”

If we dig a little deeper, though – all of us can recognize a place, sometimes buried deep within ourselves, that recognizes the truth behind these words.

When, in your life, have you felt emptied out and ready to give up?

When, in your life, have you been forced to admit you couldn’t handle it all?

When, in your life, were you moved to humility and dependence on the divine?

Even though these times might be difficult to remember, they are often the times we are closest to the truth of God’s words to Paul. We like to put up a façade of self-sufficiency, but it is actually the cracks in that façade that most powerfully point others to the presence of Christ in our lives.

For me, my “cracks” surround childhood sadness, and my own intimate experiences with the “messenger from Satan” called depression. But oh, those cracks shine so bright with God’s grace and light! Those times show so brilliantly that God’s grace really is sufficient for me – and for you, too.

The picture above is of an ancient Japanese bowl repaired with gold filling. That’s how they did it back then – not to hide the cracks, but to make them shine all the more. I have no doubt that this is what God is doing in our lives, too.

So don’t be afraid to let God’s grace shine through the cracks in your façade. Odds are, those cracks are the very places others feel most comfortable around you because there are no pretentions – and because if you’re not perfect, maybe they don’t have to be perfect to be around you.

I want to close with a song by my favorite acoustic guitarist, Peter Mayer (www.petermayer.net) called “Japanese Bowls.” The lyrics say it all:

I’m like one of those Japanese bowls

That were made long ago

I have some cracks in me

They have been filled with gold

That’s what they used back then

When they had a bowl to mend

It did not hide the cracks

It made them shine instead

So now every old scar shows

From every time I broke

And anyone’s eyes can see

I’m not what I used to be

But in a collector’s mind

All of these jagged lines

Make me more beautiful

And worth a much higher price

I’m like one of those Japanese bowls

I was made long ago

I have some cracks you can see

See how they shine of gold

Prayer:

God of grace, when I can’t, you can. Shine through my life today – and help me to graciously accept my flaws as places where you can shine even brighter. Amen.

God Scatters Snow Like Wool...

2011-02-03T13:35:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 55:10-12 (Click link to read passage)

Reflection:

It was hard to see any good in it. Snow was everywhere. We don’t own a snowblower, so it meant hours and hours of shoveling. I was scheduled to leave for a conference out of town, so it meant cancelled flights and non-refundable hotel rooms empty.

It was hard to see any good in the massive storm that hit the Midwest yesterday, and Spring seems so far away.

And yet, as neighbors emerged from their houses to help one another out, a sense of community developed in my neighborhood like I haven't seen in the two years we've lived there. Everyone was helping everyone else out. My kids were playing in the middle of the street while neighbors talked and joked. It was a blessed, peaceful moment in the midst of an otherwise crazy day.

In the passage linked above, Isaiah is reminding his listeners, and us, that whether we can see past current obstacles or not, God is busy bringing about new life. Isaiah is reminding his listeners, and us, that even when it isn’t obvious, God is weaving all things together to accomplish his purposes.

Isaiah uses the image of snow, which speaks to me today. Just as I can’t yet see the new flowers and grass that will sprout in months thanks to the healthy dose of water, so sometimes the “good” in some situations in our lives seems buried beneath a mountain of obstacles.

So I’m rejoicing in Isaiah’s words today -

Don’t forget – Spring is coming!

Don’t forget – Easter is coming!

Don’t forget – Jesus is coming!

Prayer:

God of every good gift, help me to put my trust in you today so that I might not miss the buried blessings springing forth all around me. Amen.

Dawn is Breaking

2011-01-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

Luke 1:67-79 Zechariah’s Prophecy

Reflection:

I sing to my kids all the time.

But I’ve never sung like that.

In the passage linked above, you heard one of the greatest songs of praise in the New Testament, as Zechariah sings to his new little boy, who we will later meet as John the Baptist.

About halfway through his praise song, he starts singing directly to his son…

“You, my child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways…”

The most beautiful line, however, is right near the end. In it, Zechariah – priest, father, prophet – uses one of the most beautiful images in all of scripture to describe what Jesus will be for the world;

“The dawn from on high will break upon us…”

Indeed, Jesus’ light breaks forth in the darkness of human brokenness.

Jesus’ light breaks forth in the darkness of human pain and suffering.

Jesus’ light even shines THROUGH the darkest human experience of death, shining all the way to the glory on the other side.

So, today, no matter how short winter makes your days, or how dark your everyday struggles feel, know that just as each morning brings the brightness of the sun, so each moment brings the brightness of the Son.

The dawn from high breaks upon us!

Prayer:

God of light, shine through my darkness today. Help me to see beyond the barriers right before me – guide my feet into the way of peace. Amen.

Would you leave?

2011-01-20T09:20:00.000-08:00

Luke 5:27-32 Jesus Calls Levi - Click here to read passage

Reflection:

Have you ever wondered why the folks in the Bible seem so ready to just walk away from their professions to follow Jesus?

I mean, if you trained for years to be a mechanic, let’s say – and your livelihood depended on what you brought in from that work…and then some wandering preacher comes and tells you to follow him, learn from him, and be part of his movement – would you leave it all, trusting that this was the right thing to do? Of course not!

This highlights the difference between the culture of Jesus’ day and our own. Back then, rabbis were well-respected members of the community…and to be a “follower” of one of the rabbis was a distinct honor. It meant that you had excelled past your classmates in knowledge of the Scriptures. It meant that you had memorized the Scriptures. It meant that you were the best of the best. Only the ‘cream of the crop’ got called to be a rabbi’s disciples.

Except this rabbi did things differently.

He went to those who were ‘not good enough.’

He went to those who had not excelled past their peers.

He called regular, everyday folks like you and I to be part of his radical movement of good news, joy, and peace.

That’s why the disciples dropped everything and followed him – because it meant that before they even believed in him, he believed in them. He believed in their ability to carry his message. He believed in their ability to be a vehicle for his love. He believed that this rag-tag group of “anybodies” could change the world. And they did.

They still do. Now you and I are a part of that rag-tag group as well. Thanks be to God!

Prayer: God of all people, you call us to be your followers and to echo the love you show to us. Help us to rest secure in the fact that before we even believe in you, you believe in us and our power to let your love flow through us to others. Amen.

What Are We To Say...?

2011-01-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

Romans 8:31-35, 37-39 God’s Love in Christ Jesus

Click here to view passage

Reflection:

One year ago yesterday, a terrible earthquake rocked the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. Recent news headlines remind us that the weight of systemic poverty is more than a year can lift. Many, many people still suffer terribly in Haiti.

Last night, a memorial service was held for those lost in Tucson a week ago. The weight of that tragedy, and the loss of public servants, family members, and even a 9-year old child brings the inevitable question: “Why did this happen?”

When faced with tragedy, loss, and unanswerable questions, words seem to fail us. But the scriptures remind us that there’s one thing that never fails us in such situations…

In the passage linked above, Paul clearly states his reasons for hope in the midst of despair. The love of the one who bore the cross of despair now pierces through any obstacle. Said simply, “nothing…will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Now, it is simply our job to live and act as though this is true. We do not succumb to the temptations to point fingers of blame. We do not lose heart or hope. We do not retreat into apathy or cynicism. We live and love as though Christ is reaching others through our hands and our hearts.

Prayer: God of uninterrupted love, be with the family and friends of those lost in Haiti, Tucson, and elsewhere. Show us what we might do to reflect your love in significant ways to those we encounter this day. Amen.

Gathered to be Scattered

2011-01-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Acts 8:4-8 Philip Preaches in Samaria (Click here to view passage)

Reflection:

The old adage goes: “There’s strength in numbers”

Usually, a crowd loses its power when it is scattered.

But the Christians were, and are, a different sort of phenomenon.

Right before the passage linked above, we hear about Saul, before his conversion to Christianity. He is a zealous persecutor of Christians…and that persecution causes the group to scatter to the four winds to save their own tails.

One might think this is the end of the “movement” of Christianity. The group’s been scattered away from their leaders. They no longer can claim strength in numbers. It’s over.

Except for this group – the scattering simply spreads the message further. We hear of Philip, on his own, telling people in Samaria about Jesus…and God’s grace extends to more and more people.

Eventually Saul will get knocked off his high horse and become Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles…and God’s grace extends to more and more people.

On Sunday mornings, you and I are gathered for an hour; to be trained, to be blessed, to be strengthened; to be shown by example what love looks like. But then, just 60 minutes later, we are scattered to the four winds again – to make sure God’s grace continues to be extended to more and more people.

So wherever you are reading this devotion from, no matter how far it is away from the church, know that you are the presence of Christ’s love in that place. Extend God’s grace to those you encounter today; through words, through actions, through a willingness to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Prayer: Gracious God, give us the strength to be scattered today, so that the walls of the church may not keep others out, or your love in. Amen.

Take Off My Shoes?!?

2011-01-04T08:27:00.001-08:00

Exodus 3:1-5 Moses at the Burning Bush

Reflection:

Most people have to be pretty comfortable with you to take their shoes off.

I don’t know what it is – maybe we’re all afraid that we have ugly feet…maybe it’s a feeling of nakedness on some level…but whatever it is, most folks don’t like taking their shoes off around other people.

Unless, that is, you are truly feeling at home.

For me, the places that I feel comfortable removing my shoes are also the places that I feel most comfortable, period. They are the places where I know I’m loved and accepted for who I am, warts and all (and no, I don’t have warts on my feet!)

I can take my shoes off at home.

I can take my shoes off at my parents’ house.

I can take my shoes off at my inlaws’ house.

These are the places where I know I can be myself.

As Moses approaches the very presence of God in the passage linked above, God tells him to remove his shoes, because the ground he is standing on is holy. On one level, this is to show respect to the divine. But on another level, it is an intimate moment. Moses is himself before God. No shoes. No barriers. No pretentions.

This week, it is my hope that you know that the ground you walk is holy ground, because Jesus walks every step with you. Maybe, knowing that presence of unbounded love in your life, you’ll be able to remove your shoes!

Prayer: God of peace, open our eyes to your presence in our daily lives, that we might know your all-encompassing love. Amen.

Be At Peace

2010-12-31T09:47:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 Living by Faith

Reflection:

Christmas has passed – and here at the church, that means one thing you might not expect.

It’s time to change the church’s marquee sign again.

(It still had our Christmas Eve worship times on it).

It takes a long time to change the sign – which is why I don’t do it very often.

So, when I pick a message to put up there, I know I need to pick something that applies, not just to the next week, but to the next several months.

Above, you see the message I put up there today.

Peace seems to be a rare thing now.

Every deadline seems like the most important thing.

Every kids activity seems like the one that can’t be missed.

Every car passing me on the freeway seems to be filled with people who are hurried, stressed, and angry.

The above passage sends the same message as our church sign: BE AT PEACE.

In the grand scheme of things, yesterday’s deadline doesn’t determine tomorrow’s happiness.

In the grand scheme of things, being a few minutes late for an activity or appointment doesn’t keep the sun from rising the next day.

So re-read the passage linked above.

Re-read the church sign I spent 45 minutes changing.

Take a deep breath and sense the beauty and peace of God’s eternity breaking into your NOW.

Happy New Year…

Prayer: Eternal God, quiet our hearts and minds today as you remind us that every detail of our lives rests within your unchanging, never-ending love. Amen.

Just Try to Count the Stars

2010-12-29T14:10:00.000-08:00

Genesis 15:1-6 God’s Covenant with Abram

Reflection:

This Sunday, you are going to hear one consistent theme through the Sunday service:

GOD IS BIGGER THAN ANY HUMAN IDEA OR THEORY

The picture you see above, at first glance, looks like a starry sky. Try to count the stars. You won’t be able to.

Upon closer inspection, however, you’ll find they aren’t stars you are seeing. Look closely. Some of them have odd shapes. (You can click on the picture to blow it up larger - then look close!)

The picture above is nothing short of stunning. It is called the “Hubble Ultra Deep Field” picture, and was a time exposure picture taken by the Hubble telescope – when they left it pointed at a dark part of the universe and left the aperture open to catch any far-off light.

What emerged was a picture of the vastness of God’s creation. The specks you see are not stars, but galaxies, like our own Milky Way. Each one contains a billion stars or more. Ponder than for a moment. It is stunning.

Some say science and religion don’t mix – but I don’t know about you, when I read the above passage, as God promises Abram descendents as numerous as the stars, I see the Deep Field picture as a glimpse of just how big our God’s promises can be.

Happy star-gazing! We’ll talk more about science and religion on Sunday…

Prayer: God of vast creation and vast love, help us to trust that beyond all our confusion, you are the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the End. Amen.

Pr. Matthew Short

St. Luke Lutheran Church

4860 Arthur Road, Slinger WI 53086

262-644-6003

www.stluke-slinger.org

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Send Jesus right over...

2010-12-22T12:51:00.000-08:00

Revelation 22:6-7, 18-20

Reflection:

I loved the game “Red Rover” when I was a kid.

The other team would brace themselves, make sure they were holding on tight, and then they’d issue the invitation, “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Matt right over!” Off I’d fly, intent to break into their line, and into their sure defense.

Today’s reading contains the final words of the entire Bible. At the end of the New Testament, at the end of the book of Revelation, at the end of the last sentence – the last thing the Bible has to say about Jesus is an invitation. “Come, Lord Jesus!”

I hope we’re holding on tight.

I hope we know Christ is coming, intent once more on breaking into our world in the form of a baby; breaking through our sure defenses of self-sufficiency and pride.

In just a few days, we will celebrate again that our invitation to the divine never goes unanswered! Come, Lord Jesus!

Prayer: God of the manger, break through our defenses once more to show us the power of sacrificial love, and send us out to mirror that love to all we encounter. Amen.

Surprise!

2010-12-21T13:40:00.000-08:00

2 Kings 5:1-14

Reflection:

Surprising and unfair. I would use these two words to describe God’s love in the world. Interestingly, these two words are often two sides of the same coin. God’s love always seems to come unexpectedly. The only difference is, if it’s you and “your” people who are on the receiving end, you would say that you are pleasantly surprised. If it’s those whom you judge to be unfit, then you would say you are UNpleasantly surprised. It is unfair.

How has God surprised you in the past? Is it surprising for you that God’s wills the salvation of Gentiles as well as Jews? (It was surprising for the Jews). Is it surprising for you that God chose to come in the form of a human? (It was surprising for the people of Jesus’ time). Is it surprising for you that there are Palestinian Christians who suffer along with their Muslim neighbors? (This often surprises many people). And last, is it surprising for you that God’s children come in every shade of skin tone, speak every language imaginable, and worship in ways very different than you? (This surprised me when I first traveled to Papua New Guinea).

Indeed, it seems that the Christian life is always one of surprise. God never stops expanding our horizons and encouraging us to view the world through the inclusiveness of love rather than the exclusiveness so typical to human thinking.

Ah, if only we could have the mind of God – none of this would be surprising. None of it would seem unfair.

Prayer: God of limitless love, give us your mind and your heart today, that we might greet every new face as a child of God. Amen.

Checkmate!

2010-12-16T12:12:00.000-08:00

John 16:21-22

Reflection:

Jesus is a realist. Because of who he is, he knows both the struggles and joys that are a part of being human. But even more important than that, he knows which one has the final say, and in fact it is HIM that has the final say.

The above passage is Jesus' response to his disciples' anxiety about his departure. Jesus knows anxiety doesn't have the final say – he knows that loneliness and heartache don't have the final say – in fact it is HIM who has the final say.

One of my favorite Christian music artists, Chris Rice, has a song called "The Final Move" in which he likens life to a chess game. And I want to leave you today with the refrain from that song, which still echoes in my head any time I fear that my life's struggles might have me in checkmate:

"It was love that set this fragile planet rolling – tilting at our perfect 23

Molecules and men infused with holy – finding our way around the galaxy

And paradise has up and flown away for now

but hope still breathes, and truth is always true

Just when we think it's almost over, love has the final move.

Love has the final move…"

As we will hear again in a week, in a manger...

the checkmate in this grand game belongs to God, who, the Bible tells us, IS love.

Prayer: God of the future, speak hope into our darkness and re-create our trust in you. Amen.

Ornaments and Memories

2010-12-15T12:23:00.000-08:00

Psalm 77:11-15

Reflection:

Today, God’s good news came to me through a Christmas ornament.

I was on a home visit to one of our members who can no longer make it to church. The first thing we talked about was her Christmas tree. She explained to me that her family had always gotten a large, real tree each year. “It’s the smell of pine, pastor – it’s just not Christmas without that smell.” This year, however, her advancing years had forced her to change the tradition. In her living room now stands a small artificial tree. “Real trees are too much work for me now,” she explained. “But the ornaments are the same…”

For the next 45 minutes, we looked at those ornaments. Some were from trips she and her husband had taken when he was still alive. Some were hand-made creations given by grandchildren. Each ornament brought with it a beautiful memory, and a smile. The more I listened, the more I got the sense I was in a holy moment; blessed to be present, as one of God’s saints remembered the gifts in her life.

“Remembered” is a common word in the Bible. Over and over and over again, the scriptures tell us that God “remembers” the covenants he makes; with Noah, with Abraham, with Moses, and with us in Christ. God remembers the covenants, no matter what traditions change, or what traditions remain the same. God remembers the covenants, and smiles on us and on our world.

Today, it is my prayer that you and I may be filled with the same sense of memory. Let us, as the Psalm above says, “call to mind the deeds of the Lord,” and “…remember [God’s] wonders of old.” And may we be filled with the same sweet memories and profound sense of gratitude that I had the honor of witnessing around a tree today.

Prayer: God of every age, even when everything changes, your love stays the same. Help us to pause and give thanks for your gifts today, that we might feel the simple joy that comes with gratitude and hope. Amen.

You Are Not on the Sidelines

2010-12-14T11:07:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 1:2-15

Reflection:

Being a Christian isn’t a spectator sport. We don’t wait on the sidelines to see if we might be picked to play. No, Peter reminds us, we have already been chosen! Nothing we do from this point forward affects that. We are on God’s team, like it or not.

Now that we’re in the game, we are simply called to play like we’ve been chosen. Faith has been given to us – our job is just to support that faith with goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. These are the rules of the game. Forgetting the rules doesn’t get us kicked off the team – it just means that we’ve been short-sighted and forgotten that we are no longer on the sidelines.

Could it be that Sunday worship is more about reminding us of our calling than lecturing us on our morals? Could it be that reading the Bible is more about reminding us of our calling than it is about telling us how to get on the team? Could it be that, through Jesus Christ, we have already been included in God’s loving work in the world?

Indeed, all of this is confirmed by the most beautiful line in the above reading: We have become “participants in the divine nature.” May we pause today to contemplate what it means to be participating in the very life of God in the world.

So don't forget: because of your baptism, you're not on the sidelines anymore! Get in there and PLAY! (And maybe you'll find out it actually is fun...)

Prayer: God of all nations, remind us today that you have chosen us, and give us the strength and perseverance we need to participate in your life and work in the world. Amen.

Where you go...

2010-12-09T07:46:00.000-08:00

Ruth 1:6-18

Ruth shouldn’t have stayed.

There was no hope for a future with a husband if she stayed.

There was no hope for a future with children if she stayed.

There was no hope to fulfill the cultural ideals of womanhood if she stayed.

And yet, she stayed with Naomi – clung to her, the scriptures say.

Maybe, fulfilling her personal goals wasn’t the most important.

The story of Ruth & Naomi is one of the most beautiful stories in the Old Testament.

To we, who are used to disposable relationships, it is beautiful.

To we, who are used to hearing that self-fulfillment is the point of life, it is beautiful.

To we, who are used to broken promises and broken friendships, it is beautiful.

Today, may you hear in Ruth’s words of devotion a faint echo of the fierce love your God has for you:

“Where you go, I will go...

Where you lodge, I will lodge…”

Say no more. If Ruth can stay with Naomi no matter what, don’t ever doubt your God can stay with you no matter what.

Prayer: God of faithfulness and love, no matter what journeys I travel, help me to rest in the assurance that you are my God and I am your child no matter what. Amen.

Naked!

2010-12-08T10:29:00.000-08:00

Job 26:1-6

Reflection:

I love the T.V. show M.A.S.H. In one episode, the nurses get even with the doctors for pranks they had pulled by taking the doctors' clothes while they are in the shower. One scene shows a naked B.J. Hunnicutt and "Hawkeye" Pierce running back to their tent, with only hand towels to cover themselves. It was funny precisely because we all know – it's embarrassing to be caught naked.

Look at the last verse above. God's power is so incredible, God's counsel is so great, God's wisdom is so high above us – even Sheol is naked before God.

Brief Hebrew lesson to show you how amazing this verse is: Sheol is Death, capital D. It is the land of the dead – where all who have stopped breathing go. Abaddon is rooted in the Hebrew word meaning "perishing."

So, this verse says something incredible: God's love is so amazing – even Death stands exposed and powerless. Even Perishing is left out in the cold, with nothing to cover itself. How embarrassing for them, but how good for us.

God's love leaves Death exposed and powerless. That's gospel, right there in the Old Testament.

Prayer: God of Amazing Grace, teach us to let go of our fear of death, and instead cling tightly to your promises of life and life abundant. Amen.

Sighs Too Deep For Words

2010-12-07T08:25:00.000-08:00

Note: I offer today’s devotion recognizing that many in the Slinger/Allenton community are struggling with the loss of several young people in the last week. For those who know the Monday, Pezon, and Dobson families – our prayers are with you as they are with the families themselves.

Romans 8:26-27

Reflection:

There are many times in our lives when we find that our words fail us. Sometimes, the situations we encounter contain too much pain to know what to say. On the other hand, sometimes we are rendered speechless by overwhelming joy. Whatever the circumstance, we often find that our words fail us.

Ironically, it is also at these times of speechlessness that we often are most motivated to pray. When I think of my own experiences, I remember blurting out an inarticulate, "thank you!" through tears of joy the day my daughter was born. However, I also remember times of pain, when I desperately wanted to pray but had no idea what to say.

Thank goodness prayer doesn't require articulate speech (even thought we often think it does)! I have always loved this particular passage in Romans, precisely because it reminds me that prayer is much less like a conversation and much more like an intimate relationship. How comforting to know that even when (or especially when) our words fail us - it is at those times that God's own Spirit takes over, in sighs too deep for human words. Then, it is God's Spirit praying for us, through Christ, to the Father, and we become a part of the love-filled relationship between the persons of the Trinity.

Roberta Bondi has written an excellent book about prayer entitled "To Pray and To Love." In it, she reminds the reader often that prayer is simply about "showing up." There's no right way to pray, and no wrong way to pray. Instead, prayer is turning to God even when (or especially when) our words fail us, and sitting in the silence of that relationship, In that silence, we are reminded that everything we experience, and every emotion we have, takes place within a greater relationship with the one who calls us his beloved children.

Prayer: God who is love, help me to let go of my expectations about prayer and instead to turn to you whatever my emotions may be. Remind me today that you desire not conversation, but relationship. Amen.

An Open Door

2010-12-03T14:37:00.000-08:00

Revelation 4 - The Heavenly Worship

In the fourth chapter of the book of Revelation, John (the writer) sees an open door. Far from the image we have of Jesus knocking on the doors of our hearts (in the picture above, which we've all seen in at least one church basement), this is a picture of Jesus knocking on the door and throwing it open for us to join in the heavenly worship.

We spoke last Sunday about those "eternity moments" when heaven seems to break into our everyday reality, even if only for a second. We spoke of how these moments never seem to come when we are serving our own interests, but when we are reminded that we are a part of something so much bigger than ourselves.

Worship can be a moment like this. A moment when the curtain is thrown back, when the door to heaven is thrown wide open and we get a glimpse of future glory. In the Lutheran church, we even sing "…and give us a foretaste of the feast to come…"

So, I hope that worship (wherever you worship) reminds you that you are a part of something so much bigger than your own interests. And I hope that those "eternity moments" keep breaking into your everyday world as you go out to serve.

Prayer: God of love, consecrate us to your purposes. By your grace alone, turn us into holy objects that serve others and allow your grace to be heard, felt, and tasted in this world. Amen.

Kindle a Fire

2010-12-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

Isaiah 2:1-5

Today is the second day of Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights. Tonight, many people will light the second candle as they celebrate.

The menorah (pictured above) has nine candles - one for each of the eight nights of Hanukkah, and a special candle, raised above the others, called the "shammash" candle.

The shammash candle has one and only one role - it is used to light the other candles. Its sole purpose is to take the fire from one and spread it to the rest.

In the Isaiah reading for today, which you can read by clicking on the words "Isaiah 2:1-5" above, we hear that the people of Israel were called to function in much the same way. They were to be a light for revelation to the Gentiles - blessed to be a blessing to all nations - used to fill the earth with God's teachings. In essence, from the promise God made to Abraham, through the promise God made to Moses, to the promise God makes to us in Christ and in the waters of baptism, God is busy setting the world ablaze through his chosen people.

Today, may you know that you've been chosen to be a shammash - your purpose is to take the Light that's been given to you, and set the world ablaze with the power of Christ's love.

Prayer:
God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and every nation, kindle in us the fire of your love that we might be prepared to set the world ablaze with your love. Amen.