Genesis 1: 1
1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
There are many things that I cannot control. I cannot control the path of hurricanes or zany drivers. Nor can I control the randomness of disease or heartbreak nor my genetically-tied balding head, but I can control some things.
I can control my weight. Living in the richest nation on earth does not exempt me from controlling what I eat. I know my eating less or more frugally will not send more to starving millions around the world. But I also know there is something innately profane about the words “All You Can Eat” when who knows how many people do not have enough to eat for one meal today. I can control my weight by how much I allow myself to eat and how much I exercise. Do you think Jesus was ever over-weight?
I can control my response to other people. When someone sounds off to me I often respond with a moment of silence,… I find that the absence of words can often diffuse a volatile situation. A soothing voice often subconsciously reminds the person that the person he or she is speaking with is not the enemy; more often the level of initial frustration arises out of a situation or miscommunication. While there are times when a passionate retort is needed, these outbursts are used far too often in our society. The toughest fight may be taking the initiative for peace in a relationship.
And while I cannot control my relationship with God, I can certainly strive to improve my christian faith by spending time listening and reflecting upon the living Word of God in my life. I believe my search for the Grace to distinguish between the things that I cannot control in my life and the things that I can control is foundational to anything that I seek to control in my life. For no matter how deep I think my relationship with God is: “In the beginning, God…” God is always my beginning.
A Faithful Response: Create a daily exercise plan if you do not already have one.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Intentions
Matthew 21: 1-11
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' " 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
“The whole city was stirred.” Jesus has that affect on people’s lives. He stirs up lives with ingredients of love and service. A dash of integrity, flavored with righteousness, blended with kindness and doused in grace. We all know that Jesus has stirred up our lives but do we hold the conviction to lay them right back down in front of his path?
“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” These people are spreading man-made cloaks and God-created branches. All of creation bows before him. That is exactly what Jesus wants from us: our lives yielded to his will and purpose. These items that the crowd brings before him symbolize the very lives that he desires. But what happens to this crowd just a few days later?
My little boy completely depends on his mom and I. He reaches up his hand when we walk in the parking lot or cross the street. He wants me to watch his latest video with him. He wants me to play with him. One day I told him, “I asked my class yesterday what was their favorite thing in the whole world to do. And you know what I told them? ‘I like playing with my son and spending time with my family.’” He seemed pleased for a second and then got this pensive look on his face: “Then why don’t you play with me more often, Daddy?”
While my intentions may be good to spend quality time with my family, I probably do not do it as often as I should. This story can be a direct analogy of our relationship with God, our Father. Our intentions may be good, but we get so caught up in our lives that God may ask: Why don’t you spend more time with me?
A Faithful Response: Play with your child – or, if childless, volunteer to play with someone else’s child.
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, "Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away." 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 "Say to the Daughter of Zion, 'See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.' " 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt, placed their cloaks on them, and Jesus sat on them. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" 11 The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
“The whole city was stirred.” Jesus has that affect on people’s lives. He stirs up lives with ingredients of love and service. A dash of integrity, flavored with righteousness, blended with kindness and doused in grace. We all know that Jesus has stirred up our lives but do we hold the conviction to lay them right back down in front of his path?
“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.” These people are spreading man-made cloaks and God-created branches. All of creation bows before him. That is exactly what Jesus wants from us: our lives yielded to his will and purpose. These items that the crowd brings before him symbolize the very lives that he desires. But what happens to this crowd just a few days later?
My little boy completely depends on his mom and I. He reaches up his hand when we walk in the parking lot or cross the street. He wants me to watch his latest video with him. He wants me to play with him. One day I told him, “I asked my class yesterday what was their favorite thing in the whole world to do. And you know what I told them? ‘I like playing with my son and spending time with my family.’” He seemed pleased for a second and then got this pensive look on his face: “Then why don’t you play with me more often, Daddy?”
While my intentions may be good to spend quality time with my family, I probably do not do it as often as I should. This story can be a direct analogy of our relationship with God, our Father. Our intentions may be good, but we get so caught up in our lives that God may ask: Why don’t you spend more time with me?
A Faithful Response: Play with your child – or, if childless, volunteer to play with someone else’s child.
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Faith Examples
Isaiah 50: 4-9
4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. 5 The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. 6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. 7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! 9 It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.
Too often I am rebellious. Too often I do draw back. Too often I do hide my face from the presence of those who would mock your name in word or in deed. Too often I run from my accuser. There are some times when I realize I am more than what I have become. The son-ship is mine for the asking. Do I dare step out in faith and grasp it?
As I write this devotion, I remember some older saints of a church where I served as a professional minister whose faith was an example to my own: Fern Boswell, whose Christian commitment had her tottering in to a senior adult bible study with a walker less than a month before her passing; Bea Tanner, whose steadfast faith allowed her to teach for over 40 years; Marie Benton, whose tireless devotion to the poor always seemed to outlast her 90+ year-old body; Rex and Pearl Chambers, who live with integrity and share much love. To see them arrive week after week after week despite their physical ailments and to know that the reason the offering was so high on the first Sunday of each month was because the senior adults had just received their checks and were tithing their ten percent. I always felt like I had many parents and grandparents in that church. But more than that, I always had plenty of Christian examples who lived these verses of rising with the Lord day after day.
As I grow older I realize that other people see my example. I need to recommit my life to wake with the Lord “morning by morning.” I will not be rebellious. I must “not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” I steadfastly look to the future. I will remember, “He who vindicates me is near…. It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me.”
A Faithful Response: Visit a home-bound member of your church community.
QEDX6PVZUK4C
4 The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. 5 The Sovereign LORD has opened my ears, and I have not been rebellious; I have not drawn back. 6 I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting. 7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame. 8 He who vindicates me is near. Who then will bring charges against me? Let us face each other! Who is my accuser? Let him confront me! 9 It is the Sovereign LORD who helps me. Who is he that will condemn me? They will all wear out like a garment; the moths will eat them up.
Too often I am rebellious. Too often I do draw back. Too often I do hide my face from the presence of those who would mock your name in word or in deed. Too often I run from my accuser. There are some times when I realize I am more than what I have become. The son-ship is mine for the asking. Do I dare step out in faith and grasp it?
As I write this devotion, I remember some older saints of a church where I served as a professional minister whose faith was an example to my own: Fern Boswell, whose Christian commitment had her tottering in to a senior adult bible study with a walker less than a month before her passing; Bea Tanner, whose steadfast faith allowed her to teach for over 40 years; Marie Benton, whose tireless devotion to the poor always seemed to outlast her 90+ year-old body; Rex and Pearl Chambers, who live with integrity and share much love. To see them arrive week after week after week despite their physical ailments and to know that the reason the offering was so high on the first Sunday of each month was because the senior adults had just received their checks and were tithing their ten percent. I always felt like I had many parents and grandparents in that church. But more than that, I always had plenty of Christian examples who lived these verses of rising with the Lord day after day.
As I grow older I realize that other people see my example. I need to recommit my life to wake with the Lord “morning by morning.” I will not be rebellious. I must “not hide my face from mocking and spitting.” I steadfastly look to the future. I will remember, “He who vindicates me is near…. It is the Sovereign Lord who helps me.”
A Faithful Response: Visit a home-bound member of your church community.
QEDX6PVZUK4C
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