Lent – Spaces of Beauty, Grace, Prayer, and Mercy

On Boasting

March 13, 2023 Jeff4 Comments

Today is Monday, the 13th of March, 2023, in the third week of Lent.

May the peace of Christ dwell within you today!

Day 23,741

Now, this is interesting. Of course, we all know that not every year has 365 days, because Leap Years. Today is my birthday, and I am officially Medicare years old. That’s right. Today, I have to start checking the next box on most survey age group questions. Today, I am 65 years old.

And 23,741 is a prime number.

Here are the plans for the day. We are having Crumbl Cookies delivered a little after 10:00 AM. I wasn’t going to go for those (they’re really expensive, especially delivered), but they have Lucky Charms cookies this week! If you know Crumbl, they have a different menu each week, the only constant being the milk chocolate chip. This week, they have the Lucky Charms cookie, a cookies and cream cookie, a mint chocolate brownie cookie, and a sugar cookie. There is also butterscotch chip and Boston cream pie, but we aren’t getting those.

For lunch, we plan to go to Hoffbrau Steakhouse, since I have a birthday email giving me $8 off of an entree. Then we are going to a local spa for pedicures. I might get a manicure, as well. In fact, I think I will. That’s pretty much it. The pedicures are scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon, so I figure that will be it for the day. But who knows?

We had a good day, yesterday, which was almost entirely devoted to S. After the church service at FBC Mineral Wells, we were able to get into Taqueria La Estrella, our favorite restaurant in Mineral Wells, so we had lunch there. Their chips and salsa are amazing! Then we went out to the pastor’s place, out west of the Brazos River, where S got to interact with some dogs, a horse, and a donkey. Oh, and a rabbit. She has a wonderful time. And we got home relatively early, as well. We were home well before 4:00 PM, so I had the rest of the evening to just chill.

I suppose I should get on with the devotional, now.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,
 that I may meditate on your promise.
(Psalms 119:148 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, may our hearts find words to praise you together, to ask you with one accord that we may be brought into community with you. We come to you with our whole selves, with all that we have experienced, with all that has been given to us through your leading. For to this day you have shown us the way, guiding us through right and wrong, through the perfect and the imperfect. You have led us all to know that we belong to you. We are yours. You are working in us to bring about what you have in mind for each one of us and for the many, many who hunger and thirst for justice and truth. Be with us through your Spirit. Touch us through the hand of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, and we hold fast to him so that we can praise you in his name. Amen.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
(Matthew 5:6 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for the beginning of another year of life, and the opportunities it will bring to serve Christ; may I be faithful
that we, the followers of Christ, are brought into holy communion with God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
that God works in and through all of us, by the power of the Trinity, to accomplish His plans and purposes for creation
for this day: not because it’s my birthday, but because it is all we have; now is all we have; celebrate and give thanks for today
for my trials and weaknesses, in which God is seen to be strong

Thus says the LORD:
 Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, 
do not let the mighty boast in their might, 
do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; 
but let those who boast boast in this, 
that they understand and know me, 
that I am the LORD; 
I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, 
for in these things I delight, 
says the LORD.
(Jeremiah 9:23-24 NRSV)

Come now, let us argue it out, says the LORD:
 though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be like snow; 
though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
(Isaiah 1:18 NRSV)

Be to me a rock of refuge, 
a strong fortress, to save me, 
for you are my rock and my fortress.
(Psalms 71:3 NRSV)

"Because the poor are despoiled, 
because the needy groan, 
I will now rise up," 
says the LORD; 
"I will place them in the safety for which they long." 

The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure, 
silver refined in a furnace on the ground, 
purified seven times.
(Psalms 12:5-6 NRSV)

Praise the LORD! 
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, 
in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 
Great are the works of the LORD, 
studied by all who delight in them.
 Full of honor and majesty is his work, 
and his righteousness endures forever.
 He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; 
the LORD is gracious and merciful. 
He provides food for those who fear him; 
he is ever mindful of his covenant. 
He has shown his people the power of his works, 
in giving them the heritage of the nations. 
The works of his hands are faithful and just; 
all his precepts are trustworthy. 
They are established forever and ever, 
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 
He sent redemption to his people; 
he has commanded his covenant forever. 
Holy and awesome is his name. 
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; 
all those who practice it have a good understanding. 
His praise endures forever.
(Psalms 111:1-10 NRSV)

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Your Name. May Your kingdom come, and Your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Yours are the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen.

"Almighty God,
whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit
to be tempted by Satan:
Come quickly to help us who are assaulted
by many temptations;
and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us,
let each one find you mighty to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart.
(Psalms 90:12 NRSV)

For everything there is a season,
 and a time for every matter under heaven: 
a time to be born, 
and a time to die; 
a time to plant, 
and a time to pluck up what is planted;
(Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NRSV)

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.” Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
(James 4:13-14 NRSV)

Your way, O God, is holy.
(Psalms 77:13 NRSV)

Let not wise boast in their wisdom
let not the mighty boast in their might
let not the wealthy boast in their wealth

We are a boasting people, we Americans. Westerners are proud. And not necessarily in a good way.

Personally, I’ve never boasted about having wisdom. I don’t think I’m all that wise. I’m pretty smart, I think. But I don’t know about wisdom. I’m certainly not mighty, either. I’ve never been all that strong. When I was an adolescent, I was pretty scrawny. Never could run very fast, either. My father always said that I ran too much in the same place. And I’ve never been all that wealthy, at least not by American standards. We’re doing pretty well for ourselves, these days, and by world standards (the average income, world-wide, seems to be just over 10K per year) we are probably very rich.

I’m sure I’ve boasted in things, throughout my life, though, and have made it a point to not be boastful about personal things, in recent years. According to God’s Word, there are only a couple things about which it is acceptable to boast. One is in that verse in Jeremiah. And that is that we understand and know God, who acts with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, things in which He delights.

The other is in weakness. Paul says that he will gladly boast in his weakness, because, in his weakness, God is seen as strong.

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
(2 Corinthians 11:30 NRSV)

I find that it is a dangerous thing to start boasting that we know and understand God. There are a lot of folks out there making that boast when it’s not, apparently, really true, based on their actions and attitudes about other people. So that one is a risky boast. It puts one on thin ice, so to speak.

That being said, I do believe that, especially in recent years, I know and understand God to a degree. Who can say that they fully understand the Infinite Almighty, right? But I am learning from Him. I am constantly reading His Word and meditating on it, seeing ways that I need to change, thoughts that need to stop, attitudes that need to be adjusted, and actions that need to change.

I guess one of the biggest dangers of boasting is that it exudes self-sufficiency. It says that I don’t need anyone else.

And nothing could be further from the truth.

One other thing that I want to point out, quickly, is this idea of numbering or counting our days. It was quite some time ago that I began to take that Psalms passage literally. Hence my day number at the beginning of each day. I will confess that this is slightly “tongue-in-cheek.” Nevertheless, I see some value in it. I’ve been alive a lot of days. But today is the only one in my “possession.” I only have today. I do not have the 20,000+ days preceding it, and I don’t have tomorrow. I’m not guaranteed tomorrow. James points this out quite well.

And that’s another thing in which we tend to boast. What we’re going to do tomorrow or next month or next year. Even that silly job interview question (I loathe job interviews), “Where do you see yourself in five years?” Heck if I know. For all I know, I might be six feet under!

My opinion? It would be safer to just not boast about anything at all.

Father, I pray for us; the Church, this country, this world. We are so very proud, as a people, and we so lack humility. We boast and boast and boast, and much of our boasting is nothing more than hot air, blowing smoke. We don’t really even know what we are talking about most of the time. Give us humility, Father, and I am well aware of how painful that can be, at times. But we need it. If we must boast, let us boast in our relationship with You, but only if we can demonstrate that we understand Your steadfast love, justice, and righteousness, those things in which You delight. To a large degree, we seem to think that understanding and knowing You means that we must militantly force the rest of the population to agree with us.

Have mercy on us, Lord. I thank You for today. And certainly, I am grateful to be beginning another year of life, but I’m also simply grateful for this moment that I have. Help me to live each moment fully, to celebrate each day as it comes, not worrying about tomorrow and not fretting about yesterdays. What’s gone is gone, what is done is done, and nothing can be done about that. I only have today, and I thank You for this day.

This is a day that You have made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Crucified with Christ

March 12, 2023 Jeff

Today is Sunday, the 12th of March, 2023, in the third week of Lent.

May the peace of Christ dwell within you today.

23,740

We are going to Mineral Wells, this morning, leaving in just over an hour, so I don’t have a lot of time. I will say that we had a great time, yesterday, at IHOP. I got my usual Colorado Omelet (it has all the meat in it), and chose chocolate chocolate chip pancakes as my side. As I was pondering what kind of syrup to put on chocolate pancakes, I finally decided to try butter pecan. I started by dipping a couple of bites in my little syrup cup, and it tasted okay, so I cut up the pancakes and poured both cups of syrup over them.

I swear I am not making this up. My wife validated it. They tasted exactly like brownies!! They were almost better than the omelet! Almost.

We hit up Sonic for drinks, then headed home to chill for a while. I went out to In N Out, around 6:00 PM (that may have still been too early after that huge brunch). The ordering experience was pleasant. They have the burger thing down, it seems. Esentially all they make is burgers and fries, along with some shakes and soft drinks. and there aren’t very many varieties of burgers. Single with or without cheese, then the double double (you can also get triple triple or quad quad). I got a triple triple animal style (mustard instead of their sauce) and fries. The burger was good. The fries were stale. The best thing was the price. We got four burgers, four orders of fries and one drink for $31.50 The double double is $4.90. By comparison, a McD’s double quarter is around $8. But the double quarter is still better, in my opinion.

My stomach was not at all happy with me for all the junk I ate, yesterday. It’s better, this morning, though. I still don’t know what we will have for lunch today.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

I rise before dawn and cry for help;
 I put my hope in your words.
(Psalms 119:147 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for the gift of your light in our hearts, allowing us to have faith in you. We thank you for your light, which shows us the many ways you save us from need, darkness, and death. In the midst of this darkness you keep our hearts safe so that we can be faithful until your time comes, the time when you will reveal yourself to the world, and when all voices will cry out as one, “Yes, Father in heaven, we thank you. You have redeemed us all.” Amen.

But now thus says the LORD, 
he who created you, O Jacob, 
he who formed you, O Israel: 
Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; 
I have called you by name, you are mine. 
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; 
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; 
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, 
and the flame shall not consume you.
(Isaiah 43:1-2 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for God’s gift of light shining in our hearts
that I am crucified with Christ
for God, my rock, my salvation
that God knows my weaknesses, remembers that I am dust, and is mighty to save
for mutual love within the Body of Christ

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, you heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
(Traditional Doxology)

Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, 
you who lead Joseph like a flock! 
You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
(Psalms 80:1 NRSV)

The LORD lives! 
Blessed be my rock, 
and exalted be the God of my salvation,
(Psalms 18:46 NRSV)

Hear my prayer, O LORD; 
let my cry come to you. 
Do not hide your face from me in the day of my distress. 
Incline your ear to me;
 answer me speedily in the day when I call. 
For my days pass away like smoke, 
and my bones burn like a furnace. 
My heart is stricken and withered like grass; 
I am too wasted to eat my bread. 
Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my skin.
 I am like an owl of the wilderness, 
like a little owl of the waste places. 
I lie awake; 
I am like a lonely bird on the housetop. 
All day long my enemies taunt me; 
those who deride me use my name for a curse. 
For I eat ashes like bread, 
and mingle tears with my drink, 
because of your indignation and anger;
 for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside. 
My days are like an evening shadow; 
I wither away like grass. 
But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever; 
your name endures to all generations.
(Psalms 102:1-12 NRSV)

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; 
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.
(Isaiah 9:2 NRSV)

"Almighty God,
whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit
to be tempted by Satan:
Come quickly to help us who are assaulted
by many temptations;
and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us,
let each one find you mighty to save;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and for ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!
(Psalms 133:1 NRSV)

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.
(John 13:34 NRSV)

Let us then pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
(Romans 14:19 NRSV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, farewell. Put things in order, listen to my appeal, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
(2 Corinthians 13:11 NRSV)

Let mutual love continue.
(Hebrews 13:1 NRSV)

What actually took place is this: I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn’t work. So I quit being a “law man” so that I could be God’s man. Christ’s life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
(Galatians 2:19-20 MSG)

Look, folks, I don’t pick these verses out, myself. I read several resources for my daily devotions, and the verses come from there. I don’t make this up.

And yet, we find ourselves back at this topic, again.

I don’t believe in coincidences.

What I do believe is that there is an entire faction of “Christianity” out there who has completely forgotten about those little verses up there, all coming out of today’s reading in Walking with Grace 2023.

Over the course of the last few years (maybe longer, but I think social media has exacerbated it), the idea has become popular that, if someone doesn’t agree with me, then I should not treat them with kindness or respect.

I also believe that the Bible, God’s Word, knows nothing of this idea. Hence all the verses championing love, unity, kindness, compassion, and so on.

In that same reading, I find a prayer by the writer for today, Gail Thorell Schilling, which says, “Lord of all, may I see Your face in each person I meet. Amen.” Right on. If I’m looking for the face of God or Christ in everyone I meet, how could I possibly be rude or disrespectful to them? So what if they don’t see things quite the way I do?

I think a primary thing that we have missed, though, or put on a “back burner,” so to speak is nailed by Eugene H. Peterson as we consider the passage from Galatians 2. Here’s what he says:

"Crucifixion ends one way of life and opens up another. It finishes a life in which the self is coddled and indulged and admired, and begins a life that is offered to God and raised as a living sacrifice.
"Everything that Christ experienced we co-experience. Starting with Christ, the complete revelation of Christ in crucifixion and resurrection, we live extravagantly, boldly, and freely."
(Traveling Light, quoted in God's Message for Each Day)

So we seem to be forgetting that we are “crucified with Christ.” We seem to be forgetting that our previous life, the life in which our self was “coddled and indulged and admired,” is over. At least if we are truly following Christ, that life is over.

I confess that I frequently forget that, myself, and step back into self-indulgent ways. And I still find myself being judgmental toward others, at least in my mind. But there are things that I simply would not say in public about anyone, not in person, not on social media. I still need to work on my thoughts, but my actions and attitudes, as they are worked out, are trying to be in line with the teachings of Jesus.

Yesterday’s entry was “Our Life Is for Others.” This is sort of like part 2 of that. We must remember, if we are truly following Christ in this world, that our life is not our own. We have been crucified with Christ, and it is not we who live, but Christ living within us. I love how The Message words that passage. “It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me.”

Let us strive to not be one of the ones whom Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7.

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’
(Matthew 7:21-23 NRSV)

Father in heaven, these words strike me in the heart, today. They strike me because I am saddened to see the shape that the church is in, today. It saddens me to see the attitudes of hatefulness toward others who do not believe like we do. I hurts my heart to see the division within Your Body.

Although I do not necessarily believe that the majority of those noisy people are truly part of Your Body. Everyone who goes to church is not part of the Church. I bow my knees to You, Lord, confessing my sinful thoughts and actions. I am not always in line with Jesus’s words, I know. But my heart desires to be, and I strive to love others the way He has loved me. Help me to do better at that. I definitely do not want to be one of the ones who hear “Go away from me, you evildoers!”

Help us to remember that You alone can see inside us; You alone know our truest, deepest motivations when we do the things we do. I hope and trust that my actions, my generosity toward people, are never to gain popularity or notoriety. I don’t care about any of those things. I care about pleasing You, about being with You ever day, about knowing You.

"Knowing You, Jesus, knowing You,
There is no greater thing."

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Our Life Is for Others

March 11, 2023 Jeff3 Comments

Today is Saturday, the 11th of March, 2023, in the second week of Lent.

May the peace of Christ fill your hearts and minds, today.

Day 23,739

Yesterday was a nice, quiet day in the computer center. In fact, I think it was pretty quiet in the whole library. With the exception of the Magic: The Gathering club meeting at 4:30, I don’t think there were any other programs going on. I’m pretty sure we didn’t have more than 20-25 people in the computer center, all day. I never saw more than four or five people in the room at one time, and that one time, three of them were together.

We had a nice evening, after, watching the first of the latest three episodes of Daisy Jones and the Six on Prime Video. I’m glad they are releasing three at a time, so we don’t have to wait a whole week between episodes. I reckon we’ll watch episode five tonight. It’s such a great show. They have done an awesome job with it.

Today, seeing as it is my “birthday weekend,” I have decided that I want to have IHOP for brunch. I’ve already decided that I want to go to Hoffbrau Steakhouse for lunch on Monday, the actual “big day.” C has taken the day off, and we are planning pedicures, as well. And, rather than cook my usual burgers for dinner tonight, I believe we are going to try In N Out tonight. I tried them long ago, right after they appeared in this area, and wasn’t impressed. But when three out of twelve world-renowned chefs like their double cheeseburgers (animal style) better than any other fast food burger, I guess I should give them another shot.

By the way, the first chef mentioned, Nick Dixon, says his favorite is the McD’s double quarterpounder with cheese, and I have to say I agree. That has been my favorite fast food burger for a long time. I know it’s “heresy” in Texas, but it is so much better than Whataburger, which, in recent years, especially is highly overrated.

Anyway, enough of that. I don’t know what else I want to do today. Tomorrow, we are going to Mineral Wells for S (I hope she appreciates my willingness to do this on my birthday weekend), so she can have her outing at the pastor’s house, with his horse, donkey (mule? I can’t remember) and other animals. We will be attending the worship service at FBC, then having lunch somewhere. I’ve been trying to decide where. Earlier, I totally forgot about Natty Flats BBQ, and that may wind up being my choice.

So, let’s get on with the devotional. We slept until 9:00 this morning, which was wonderful!

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

I cry to you; 
save me, 
that I may observe your decrees.
(Psalms 119:146 NRSV)

Teach me your way, O LORD, 
that I may walk in your truth; 
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
(Psalms 86:11 NRSV)

See, Hear, Feel, Know, by Daryl Madden

We see our God
Past our disguise
To gaze on Him
Closing our eyes

We hear our God
Past human sense
To listen to HIm
Within silence

We feel our God
Beyond our will
With longing soul
In being still

We know our God
With bread we share
In love, divine
Incarnate here

I thought this to be a particularly lovely poem, expressing this truth that we can, in fact, see, hear, feel, and know God. Please visit Daryl’s site at the link provided, to see more of his inspirational poetry.

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, grant that we may share in the community of your Holy Spirit. In community with you our earthly troubles fall away and we remain in your peace in spite of all our failures and shortcomings, in spite of all the toil we must gladly take upon ourselves. Watch over us. Keep our hearts unshaken, clear, and steady. Keep us in the certainty that your kingdom is coming, is already beginning and can be plainly seen, so that all people can receive the good you have planned for them. Be with us this night. Amen.

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
(Romans 5:1-2 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for the hope of a fun day today, with family
for justification by faith, which gives us peace with God
for the grace in which we stand
that in community with God, all of our earthly troubles fall away
that my life is for others; it does not belong to me

Give ear to my words, O LORD; 
give heed to my sighing.
 Listen to the sound of my cry, 
my King and my God, 
for to you I pray. 
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
 in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.
(Psalms 5:1-3 NRSV)

Let the words of my mouth 
and the meditation of my heart 
be acceptable to you, 
O LORD, 
my rock 
and my redeemer.
(Psalms 19:14 NRSV)

O LORD, who may abide in your tent? 
Who may dwell on your holy hill? 
Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right, 
and speak the truth from their heart; 
who do not slander with their tongue,
 and do no evil to their friends, 
nor take up a reproach against their neighbors; 
in whose eyes the wicked are despised,
 but who honor those who fear the LORD; 
who stand by their oath even to their hurt; 
who do not lend money at interest, 
and do not take a bribe against the innocent. 
Those who do these things shall never be moved.
(Psalms 15:1-5 NRSV)

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; 
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
(Isaiah 9:2 NRSV)

"O God,
who before the passion of your only-begotten Son 
revealed his glory upon the holy mountain:
Grant that I,
beholding by faith the light of his countenance,
may be strengthened to bear my cross,
and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ my Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
for ever and ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

The LORD is my shepherd, 
I shall not want. 
He makes me lie down in green pastures; 
he leads me beside still waters; 
he restores my soul. 
He leads me in right paths for his name's sake. 
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, 
I fear no evil; 
for you are with me; 
your rod and your staff—they comfort me. 
You prepare a table before me 
in the presence of my enemies; 
you anoint my head with oil; 
my cup overflows. 
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, 
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD my whole life long.
(Psalms 23:1-6 NRSV)

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:16 NRSV)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! 
By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope 
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 
and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, 
kept in heaven for you, who are being protected 
by the power of God through faith
 for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
(1 Peter 1:3-5 NRSV)

Carrying out this social relief work involves far more than helping meet the bare needs of poor Christians. It also produces abundant and bountiful thanksgivings to God. This relief offering is a prod to live at your very best, showing your gratitude to God by being openly obedient to the plain meaning of the Message of Christ. You show your gratitude through your generous offerings to your needy brothers and sisters, and really toward everyone.
(2 Corinthians 9:12-13 MSG)

“Our life is for others,” says Eugene H. Peterson, in Run with the Horses, quoted in God’s Message for Each Day.

But before we get to that, I want to briefly discuss something else that comes up in several of today’s readings.

Grace. The Romans passage speaks of this grace, in which we now stand. The Hebrews passage speaks of approaching the “throne of grace,” so that we might receive grace (and mercy).

What is grace?

There have been cutesy acrostics that people have come up with. “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” It typically eschew such things. I think they cheapen the reality of what grace is. Plus that particular one doesn’t acknowledge our own inability to do anything for ourselves.

I kind of like the definition that includes mercy, and differentiates between the two. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve, and mercy is not getting what we do deserve. I think that still oversimplifies things a bit.

I also like Dallas Willard’s definition of grace (no surprise there, right?). He says that it is God doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves. I think that one nails it. Because we cannot do anything for ourselves, when it comes to our relationship with God. Even our ability to choose Him is a gift from Him.

And we stand in this grace, for it is the only place we are able to stand. If I step outside of that grace and begin to try to do things for myself, I quickly fall.

And it is because of this grace (and mercy) that we find the truth of Peterson’s statement, above. He says, also in that book, that we are at our best when we are giving. Giving is what we do best, he says. Now, to the untrained eye, that might not seem to be the case. Especially in the twenty-first century “evangelical church.” Over the last four or five years, the attitude of many people who claim to be Christ-followers has been anything but giving.

But that should be our attitude. I love Peterson’s statement. “Our life is for others.” We are not our own, Paul said in 1 Corinthians. We need to (I need to) get that truth embedded deeply in our minds and hearts. I do not belong to myself. First and foremost, I belong to God. I was bought with a price, says the same verse in 1 Corinthians.

I belong to the Body of Christ, because it is Christ who has paid the price for me. And that is why my life is for others. Just as Christ’s life was for us, we are to live as though our lives are for others.

Remember that “new command” that Jesus gave?

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
(John 13:34 NRSV)

We are to love one another as Christ loved us. And He loved us by giving Himself up for us. Therefore, that is how we are to love one another.

Father, help us to get this. Please help us to get it. Help me to embrace this truth, and to live as though my life is not my own. This works itself out in prayers and actions. I long to be found worthy of this grace, even though I cannot be worthy of it. Who shall dwell in Your tabernacle? The list of qualifications that follows that question is an impossible list. But, in Christ, all things are possible for us. In Christ, we have righteousness, and we are able to live and love one another as He has loved us.

Keep that in the front of our minds, Father, and soften our hearts. Help us to remember Jesus’s parable of the sheep and the goats, and that bit about “the least of these.” Help us to remember that this is what following Jesus looks like.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

That Your Joy May Be Complete

March 9, 2023 Jeff

Today is Thursday, the 9th of March, 2023, in the second week of Lent.

Peace be with you.

Day 23,737

I slept late, this morning, until almost 9:00 AM. And I woke up in a bit of a fog. I wonder if that is a sign that I should have gotten up at 7:30, when I was awake for a few minutes. Plus I had a really bizarre dream right before I woke up. So I’ll confess right off the bat that I’m not exactly in a good mental place, this morning.

We may or may not be taking S to her Club Metro tonight. If not, I have a recipe ready to cook for dinner.

C woke up not feeling well, so she is working from home again, today. And that’s pretty much all of I’ve got, so I will see if I can wax spiritual for a few minutes, now.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

With my whole heart I cry; 
answer me, O LORD. 
I will keep your statutes.
(Psalms 119:145 NRSV)

Can I ever truly say that I have cried out to God with my “whole heart?”

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you as your children, whom you know how to gather. You have brought us into community with you in a wonderful way, in the midst of a world full of unrest, full of misery, and full of sin. For you know your children and lead them into community with you. You comfort them. You give them strength of faith, and confidence in your rulership and your kingdom, which will prevail over everything evil and deathly that still seems to control humankind. But your dominion reaches far, far beyond. You will keep us in your hands. For the sake of those who trust in you, you will send your grace and your help into the whole world. Amen.

but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
(1 John 1:7 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

that God, in this world of unrest, misery, and sin, leads us into community, where He comforts us and strengthens us
for my morning coffee
that God expects us to ask Him for things; if we call to Him, He will show us great things (Jeremiah 33:3)
that Almighty God, maker of heaven and earth, cares for us
for the reason Jesus gave His disciples for asking, that they may receive, “that your joy may be complete”

"Ask, and it will be given you; 
search, and you will find; 
knock, and the door will be opened for you. 
For everyone who asks receives, 
and everyone who searches finds, 
and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."
(Matthew 7:7-8 NRSV)

To get wisdom is to love oneself; 
to keep understanding is to prosper.
(Proverbs 19:8 NRSV)

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, 
abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you. 
Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;
 listen to my cry of supplication. 
In the day of my trouble I call on you,
 for you will answer me.
(Psalms 86:5-7 NRSV)

Restore us, O God of hosts; 
let your face shine, 
that we may be saved.
(Psalms 80:7 NRSV)

My lips will shout for joy when I sing praises to you; 
my soul also, which you have rescued.
(Psalms 71:23 NRSV)

Summon your might, O God; 
show your strength, O God, 
as you have done for us before.
(Psalms 68:28 NRSV)

O LORD, what are human beings that you regard them, 
or mortals that you think of them? 
They are like a breath; 
their days are like a passing shadow. 
Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down; 
touch the mountains so that they smoke. 
Make the lightning flash and scatter them; 
send out your arrows and rout them. 
Stretch out your hand from on high;
 set me free and rescue me from the mighty waters, 
from the hand of aliens, 
whose mouths speak lies, 
and whose right hands are false.
(Psalms 144:3-8 NRSV)

Evening and morning and at noon
 I utter my complaint and moan, 
and he will hear my voice.
(Psalms 55:17 NRSV)

"O God,
who before the passion of your only-begotten Son 
revealed his glory upon the holy mountain:
Grant that I,
beholding by faith the light of his countenance,
may be strengthened to bear my cross,
and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ my Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
for ever and ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

The LORD is near to all who call on him, 
to all who call on him in truth.
(Psalms 145:18 NRSV)

Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
(Jeremiah 33:3 NRSV)

“Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”
(John 16:24 NRSV)

“With my whole heart I cry,” says the psalmist. I’ve already said that I don’t really think I have ever succeeded in crying out to God “with my whole heart.” Because my heart, just as most people’s, I am confident, is divided; divided between many things. My “life verse” speaks of that.

Teach me your way, O LORD, 
that I may walk in your truth; 
give me an undivided heart to revere your name.
(Psalms 86:11 NRSV)

I have prayed that verse so many times, in my life. So, has God not answered it? I think it’s a lot more complicated than that. I believe that my heart is less divided today than it was a decade ago. More and more I am finding that I am more satisfied with just the idea of being with God. That subject has come up several times, recently.

There is a “humility of heart,” of which someone in Renovare spoke, recently, that creates this preference, this desire to be with God more than talking about Him like He’s not in the room.

He is, of course, in the room. But how often do we sit around in our small groups and talk about Him as if He isn’t? And how often, as we sit around and talk about Him, do we get it wrong?

For he knows how we were made; 
he remembers that we are dust.
(Psalms 103:14 NRSV)

Several times, in today’s Scriptures, we are admonished to ask. “Ask, and it will be given to you,” said Jesus. I believe that it is implied, in Proverbs 19:8, that we need to be asking for wisdom, especially if we love ourselves. How else do we “get wisdom?”

Psalm 144 echoes the question of Psalm 8.

When I look at your heavens, 
the work of your fingers,
 the moon and the stars that you have established; 
what are human beings that you are mindful of them, 
mortals that you care for them?
(Psalms 8:3-4 NRSV)

What are we, that God cares for us?? We are mere humans; He is infinitely higher and greater than us! Yet, He does care for us, which is why the psalmists are asking this question! They don’t get it. And if I sit and think about it for very long, neither do I.

The God of the Universe, God Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, and everything in between, cares for us, puny little things that are like the sands of the seashore.

This is a miracle. And this God, who has come to us in human form as Jesus Christ, bids us ask Him for things.

Psalm 145 declares that this God is near to all who call upon Him. That one does add the condition “in truth.” God is near to all who call on Him in truth. What is truth?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
(John 14:6 NRSV)

Jesus is the truth. Therefore, God is near to all who call on Him through Jesus. I am, as far as I can tell, in Jesus. Therefore, when I call upon God, He is near me. I can’t explain how God, who is always here, can be any more near me than He already is. But I will tell you something from experience. It certainly feels like He is more near sometimes than others. Right now, as I am typing this, I feel Hes presence so close to me that is almost disarming. Not in a scary way; in a positive way.

All of the “fogginess” that I started this day with seems to have evaporated. Because I have done what His Word tells me to do. I have called upon Him and He is near me, embracing me, strengthening me, helping me.

Jesus told His disciples that they hadn’t asked anything of Him, yet. Or, rather, that they had not asked anything “in my name,” He said. “Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.”

What better reason for asking than that one?

Teach me Your way, O Lord, that I may walk in Your truth. Unite my heart to fear/revere Your name! Help me, O God, to call out to You with my whole heart. I suppose it is normal for my heart to be divided. There are many things in this world that I like. Most of them are not harmful. Reading, for example. Playing my video games. but when I pray, Father, I need my heart to be fully Yours. When I am meditating or contemplating Your beautiful presence, I need an undivided heart. Help me to do this; help me to accomplish this. Unite my heart, Lord.

And help me to be more confident in my asking. I believe that I am “in Christ,” and, therefore, when I am asking, calling upon You, I am calling upon You “in truth.” But so often I hesitate to ask. I am unsure of my own motives for asking. So make my motivation for asking be that thing that Jesus told His disciples; that my joy may be complete.

You are good, Lord. You are the only true good. Every good and perfect gift that I receive comes from You. I have nothing in my possession that I can call my own. I have nothing to bring to Your table other than my sin, for, as Horatius Bonar said, that is the only thing that I have that I can call my own.

Take my sin, Father; forgive it. Do that thing You said You would do; forget it; cast it as far as the east is from the west; cast it into the bottom of the depths of the sea. And maybe help me to forget that I did those things, too? Memory is a curse, sometimes.

I praise You, my God, for all that You do for all mankind. You make the rain to fall on the just and the unjust. Your compassion flows over into those who even refuse to acknowledge Your existence. All praise and glory to You, Father.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, 
with my whole heart, 
and I will glorify your name forever. 
For great is your steadfast love toward me; 
you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
(Psalms 86:12-13 NRSV)

Grace and peace, friends.

Marvelous, Infinite, Matchless

“Difficulties and suffering are not problems for which the gospel provides an escape, but part of a reality that the Christian experiences and in which Christians share a faith by encouraging one another in hope.” ~ Eugene H. Peterson, God’s Message for Each Day

March 8, 2023 Jeff3 Comments

Today is Wednesday, the 8th of March, 2023, in the second week of Lent.

May the peace of Christ be with you always!

Day 23,736

I had a great night at the library, last night. After shelving a cart of DVD movies and series, I worked on pulling a list of audiobooks that are being “weeded,” due to non-circulation. We are always trying to make room in the library, so we can best utilize our space. Recently, we have consolidated the magazine section, and will be pulling out one of the racks. I think they might be planning to make more study spaces in there. I believe I heard my manager say that, once the audiobook section is weeded, we will be expanding DVD space. People do still check out audiobooks, but there are quite a few of them that simply don’t get circulated. The manager looks at the numbers and pulls the ones that haven’t been checked out in a long time. I’m pretty sure our CD section will eventually be going away completely.

I will not be taking S to an appointment, this morning. For some reason, they weren’t able to schedule the time for today, but we have one scheduled for March 22, two weeks from today, so we will make that one. The only other thing I have on my agenda for today is choir practice this evening. Well, that and cooking dinner, which will be Beefy American Goulash tonight, from Emily Bites. It is a family favorite, and it always leaves at least two servings of leftovers.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Trouble and anguish have come upon me, 
but your commandments are my delight.
(Psalms 119:143 NRSV)

I would not say that “trouble and anguish have come upon me.” If ever they do, they are usually of my own making. I am, after all, a sinner, saved by the grace of God. I will say, though, with no hesitation, that God’s Word is my delight.

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Lord Jesus, we bow before you, before you to whom all power is given. We will love you, O Lord. We will treasure you. Your thoughts shall be our thoughts, that we may learn how you are named in heaven, on earth, and below the earth. Watch over us and be with us until you can come, until the time is fulfilled when you will appear among us and establish God’s kingdom. Then the whole world will rejoice and all people will bend their knees before you, the one Lord and Savior. Amen.

Therefore God also highly exalted him 
and gave him the name that is above every name, 
so that at the name of Jesus 
every knee should bend, 
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 
and every tongue should confess 
that Jesus Christ is Lord, 
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9-11 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for the Word of God, in which I delight
for the name of Jesus, exalted above every name
that, as my soul waits for Him, the Lord is my help and my shield
that, no matter the circumstances, God’s grace is greater than any pressure or struggle or temptation I might face
for the community of saints, from which we get great support and encouragement for one another

But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Matthew 6:33 NRSV)

when I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 
In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; 
I am not afraid; 
what can flesh do to me?
(Psalms 56:3-4 NRSV)

O sing to the LORD a new song,
 for he has done marvelous things. 
His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. 
The LORD has made known his victory; 
he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.
(Psalms 98:1-2 NRSV)

Our soul waits for the LORD; 
he is our help and shield. 
Our heart is glad in him, 
because we trust in his holy name. 
Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, 
even as we hope in you.
(Psalms 33:20-22 NRSV)

How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! 
How vast is the sum of them! 
I try to count them—
they are more than the sand; 
I come to the end—
I am still with you.
(Psalms 139:17-18 NRSV)

I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples, 
and I will sing praises to you among the nations.
(Psalms 108:3 NRSV)

"O God,
who before the passion of your only-begotten Son 
revealed his glory upon the holy mountain:
Grant that I,
beholding by faith the light of his countenance,
may be strengthened to bear my cross,
and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory;
through Jesus Christ my Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
for ever and ever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you. For the LORD is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.
(Isaiah 30:18 NRSV)

And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:19 NRSV)

Stay on good terms with each other, held together by love.
(Hebrews 13:1 MSG)

I have a couple of quotes today, from my resources:

“I asked God to remind me that the pressures I faced were never greater than the grace He supplied.” ~ Bill Giovennetti, Walking in Grace 2023

Grace, grace, God's grace
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God's grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin

Those of us who are “older” probably remember that great hymn, “Grace Greater Than Our Sin,” Julia H. Johnston. “Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe.”

And while it is most definitely true that this grace, this marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, is greater than all our sin, it is also greater than many other things in our lives.

It is greater than our temptations; it is greater than our trials and tribulations; it is greater than the pressures we might feel on the job; it is greater than the clogged toilet in the bathroom or the broken swimming pool pipes; it is greater than both the physical and spiritual storms that we might encounter.

Now, as brother Peterson has so aptly pointed out, this grace is not an escape from these things. Yes, God will deliver us from them, but He will not prevent them from happening to us. If we mistakenly believe this, we will be gravely disappointed. and we only have to go as far as Paul to find this out.

Remember, Paul had this “thorn in the flesh,” of which he spoke. No one knows what that was. If they claim to, don’t believe them. Ironically, there have been entire sermons preached on that subject. Anything we can come up with is pure speculation. It might have been physical, but it very well may have been spiritual, as well. We simply don’t know. What we do know, however, is that Paul asked repeatedly for it to be removed, and God repeatedly said, “No.”

Take that, all you people who make false claims that God will give you anything you ask for, if you just believe hard enough.

You know what God said to Paul. If you are a Bible reader, you know.

but he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
(2 Corinthians 12:9 NRSV)

Paul did not waste any time whining. He chose to boast, to boast in his own weakness, so that God’s power could dwell in him.

Another thing that Peterson points out is that this grace is amplified when we are together. Oh, how I have learned this, the older I get. I am, myself, pretty much an introvert. But I have experienced the power and strength of the community of saints. There is something miraculously strong about “life together,” as Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it.

I have preached from this forum how much we need one another. We are not islands. We are not capable of doing this life alone, and God never intended for us to be. And while the “traditional” church institution definitely has its problems, one thing that it does seem to do well is “life together.”

We share this faith by encouraging one another in hope.

Father, I am in awe of Your grace. I have been, and continue to be, a recipient of the miracle of grace in my life. The very fact that I am sitting here typing this is a miracle of grace. I have no right to expect anything from You or anyone else. The only thing I expect from You is that You will do what You say You will do. I hope and trust in Your infinite faithfulness. And I hope and trust in your “marvelous, infinite, matchless grace.”

It truly is infinite, Father. There is no end to Your grace, and there is enough to go around, for every person on the planet (or in the universe if You have pulled off creations on other planets, as well).

Father, as we revel in this marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, may we do it together. Help us to live our lives together, and not try to isolate ourselves. Forgive us for even attempting to do that. Forgive me for when I try to do this life alone. Thank You for leading me to the church body where I am currently attending. Help me to be a valuable part of it. Help me to be one who encourages others in hope as we share this faith together.

Your grace is sufficient, Lord. It is greater than anything we could possible face. Help me to remember that, the next time the Internet quits working, or the electricity goes off. Help me to remember that when our adult autistic daughter has a meltdown. Help me to remember that when I miss loved ones who have passed on before me. And most of all, help me to remember that when I slip and fall into the pits of sin.

Your grace is sufficient.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

The Sovereignty of God

March 2, 2023 Jeff

Today is Thursday, the 2nd of March, 2023, in the first week of Lent.

May the peace of God, that passes all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus!

Day 23,730 (the number of days since I was born)

I am curious if anyone in the community knows what has happened to our photographer friend, Paul Militaru, in Romania. For about a week or so, now, whenever I try to visit his site, I have gotten this:

I am quite concerned about him. And I miss seeing his lovely photos.

I made it to choir practice, after work, last night. I’m glad I did. I enjoy singing with the group, but it makes for a long day. The rehearsals are important, right now, though, because we are planning a cantata for Good Friday, as well as an anthem for Easter morning. There is a Maundy Thursday service, but it doesn’t look like the choir is singing for that.

Yesterday’s work day was fine. Nothing unusual happened, and patrons were cleared out by closing time, so there weren’t any “lingerers” that kept us from closing up on time.

I don’t have much on my agenda for today. I’ll be cooking dinner tonight, since S had no Club Metro event on the first Thursday of each month. I will need to leave the house for a few minutes, at some point, to pick up a prescription, and, of course, to get Sonic drinks.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

You are righteous, O LORD, 
and your judgments are right.
(Psalms 119:137 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, we ask you from our hearts to give us your peace. Grant that nothing may take your peace from us, and protect us from all that is evil. May we always be mindful that we should serve you in self-denial. May we be faithful on all our ways, looking to the great promise you have given each one of us. Keep us under your protection, as you have always done. We praise and thank you for all that comes to our hearts from you, making us full of trust and certain of your further help. Amen.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed.
(1 Peter 4:12-13 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for the support and encouragement that comes from the community of saints
that nothing on earth can take away the peace that God gives me
for every good and perfect gift that comes from God
for God’s sovereignty in this world
for the Kingdom of God, which is here, now, available for anyone to enter in; this is the Gospel, the Good News

Do not, O LORD, withhold your mercy from me; 
let your steadfast love and your faithfulness keep me safe forever.
(Psalms 40:11 NRSV)

My heart is steadfast, O God, 
my heart is steadfast. 
I will sing and make melody.
(Psalms 57:7 NRSV)

Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; 
he will never permit the righteous to be moved.
(Psalms 55:22 NRSV)

"Most loving Father,
whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things,
to fear nothing but the loss of you,
and to cast all our cares on you who cares for us:
Preserve me from faithless fears and worldly anxieties,
that no clouds of this mortal life
 may hide from me the light of this love which is immortal, 
and which you have manifested to us 
in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. 
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or take the path that sinners tread, or sit in the seat of scoffers; but their delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law they meditate day and night.
(Psalms 1:1-2 NRSV)

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
(Ephesians 2:4-5 NRSV)

And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.
(1 Kings 8:10-11 NRSV)

“Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke through his servant Moses. The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors; may he not leave us or abandon us, but incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our ancestors. Let these words of mine, with which I pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires; so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. Therefore devote yourselves completely to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.”
(1 Kings 8:56-61 NRSV)

When David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.
(1 Kings 2:1-3 NRSV)

I said to you, “Have no dread or fear of them.”
(Deuteronomy 1:29 NRSV)

Set me as a seal upon your heart, 
as a seal upon your arm; 
for love is strong as death, 
passion fierce as the grave. 
Its flashes are flashes of fire, a raging flame. 
Many waters cannot quench love, 
neither can floods drown it. 
If one offered for love all the wealth of one's house, 
it would be utterly scorned.
(Song of Solomon 8:6-7 NRSV)

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign forever and ever.”
(Revelation 11:15 NRSV)

I started reading 1 Kings a few days ago, in my journey through the Bible. I have also been reading, along with my Bible reading, a compilation of Eugene H. Peterson’s introductions to the books of the Bible from The Message. The book is called The Invitation: A Simple Guide to the Bible. As he writes about 1 and 2 Kings (in the same chapter), he speaks greatly of God’s sovereignty. “Sovereignty, God’s sovereignty, is one of the most difficult things for people of faith to live out in everyday routines. But we have no choice: God is Sovereign. God rules.”

I recently had a brief discussion on Facebook with a college classmate on the subject of free will. This person, who is a marginal believer, at best, is often full of questions about things. I always enjoy reading his questions. On the surface, at times, they might appear mocking, but I don’t believe that is the intent (it might be, sometimes, granted). I think he is thinking. So, even if the thoughts are heading in the wrong direction, I think it is good that he is thinking about them.

On this subject, he is doubting whether we really have free will if all of God’s prophecies have to come true. And here, I’m sure Peterson’s statement that “we have no choice” would further confound him.

Nevertheless, what Peterson says is ultimately true. While individuals have free will (and my pendulum has swung back and forth on the whole free will/predetermination topic . . . I now call myself a recovering five-point Calvinist), as humanity, we are governed by God’s sovereignty in all things.

Peterson asks how we can live this out. "How do we manage to live believingly and obediently in and under this revealed sovereignty in a world that is mostly either ignorant or defiant of it?
"Worship shaped by an obedient reading of Scripture is basic. We submit to having our imaginations and behaviors conditioned by the reality of God rather than by what is handed out in school curricula and media reporting."

In the stories of the Kings, we see failure after failure after failure. It wasn’t God’s idea for the people to have kings. But God, in His sovereignty, allowed them to do so. And it never worked very well at all.

“Human beings, no matter how well intentioned or gifted, don’t seem to be able to represent God’s rule anywhere close to satisfactorily. The books of Kings, in that light, are a relentless exposition of failure–a relentless five-hundred-year documentation proving that the Hebrew demand of God to ‘have a king’ was about the worst thing they could have asked for.”

But here’s the thing. What we also realize as we read through these two books is that “God continues to work his purposes and uses them in the work–doesn’t discard them, doesn’t detour around them; he uses them.” God uses them whether they want to be used or not, whether they even realize it or not.

Hezekiah had a little understanding of this when he said:

And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: "O LORD the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. So now, O LORD our God, save us, I pray you, from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone." 
(2 Kings 19:15-16, 19 NRSV)

Now here is where the “free will” piece comes into play. “God’s rule is not imposed in the sense that he forces each man and woman into absolute conformity to justice and truth and righteousness. The rule is worked from within, much of the time invisible and unnoticed, but always patiently and resolutely there.” (I wish I had had this quote during the aforementioned discussion.)

When we understand God’s sovereignty in our world (and by “we” I mean Christ-followers, because they are the only ones who can truly understand it), “We quit spinning our wheels on utopian projects and dreams.” We can rest in the knowledge that, no matter how bad it looks out there, God is in control.

Now, in God’s sovereignty, He declares Jesus Christ King over His Kingdom. The verse from Revelation 11, up there is future. It is prophecy. The kingdom of this world has not yet become the kingdom of our Lord. But it will.

Jesus was the one who first announced the Kingdom of God in verses like Mark 1:14-15.

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
(Mark 1:14-15 NRSV)

He announced it, and, at the end, He will accept the title of King of that Kingdom. In this, He also lets us know that God's rule, God's sovereignty, is "comprehensive, established over body as well as soul, over society as well as individuals . . .
"He just as clearly repudiated the accustomed means by which that rule was exercised: he rejected the devil's offer of a position in the government, rebuked the brothers Boanerges for wanting to call down fire from heaven to incinerate their enemies, ordered Peter to put up his sword, and reassured Pilate that the governor's job was in no danger. Finally, to make sure no one missed the point, he arranged that his coronation take place on a cross."
(These quotes from Eugene H. Peterson, Reversed Thunder, quoted in God's Message for Each Day)

By the way, Reversed Thunder may be the best book on Revelation I’ve ever read.

This was long. I apologize for that. If you’re still reading, good on you! 🙂

My point is that, no matter what we see with our eyes or hear with our ears, God is Sovereign, and His Kingdom is alive and well. And His Kingdom, thanks to Jesus Christ, His life, His death on the cross, and His resurrection, is open to all.

Father, I thank You for these truths. I praise You for Your sovereignty in our world. I praise You that Your will will be done, on earth as in heaven. And I am so very thankful for Jesus Christ, who will one day be crowned King over this Kingdom. I cannot wait to be part of that worship service!

All hail King Jesus!! 
All hail Emmanuel!
King of Kings
Lord of Lords
Bright Morning Star
And throughout eternity
I'll sing Your praises
And I'll reign with You
Throughout eternity!

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Wide Awake in Prayer

February 28, 2023 Jeff1 Comment

Today is Tuesday, the 28th of February, 2023, in the first week of Lent.

The peace of the Lord be with you always!

Day 23,728

It is the last day of February! Huzzah!! And it could get up to 80 degrees today. The weather to continues to act like our drunk uncle. Not that I ever had a drunk uncle. Wait . . . I might have. I did have a couple of wild uncles on my dad’s side of the family. Great-uncles, actually.

Anyway . . . we could possibly break a record for high temp today, as the previous high was 81 in 2014. The projected high for the day, though is 80. Then, in three days, it’s supposed to be back in the upper 50s. Then back to the 70s, and the last day on the ten-day forecast is 51. Up, down, all around, see my thumb . . .

Since it is Tuesday, I will be working a four-hour shift at the library tonight, from 4:15-8:15. Then I have three eight-hour shifts over the next four days, with Thursday off. S doesn’t have Club Metro this week, so Thursday should be fairly “chill.”

I should finish a book today. I’ve been reading McSweeney’s Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories, a book I ran across at the library a couple weeks ago. It’s a book of, in some ways, genre-defying stories. I have enjoyed it, as I am a big fan of short stories. As some reviewers have noted, though, it is difficult to rate a book of short stories by various authors. One is probably not going to think all the stories in the collection are “amazing.”

I didn’t get in any music practice, yesterday, but I did exercise for thirty minutes on the recumbent bike.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Make your face shine upon your servant, 
and teach me your statutes.
(Psalms 119:135 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that you have always been gracious to us, revealing your great goodness and power in ages past and in the present. In this revelation we live, O Lord our God. You are the almighty One, who works wonders on earth and who rules the heavens so that we can be blest and helped on our earthly paths. Let your goodness and your justice be revealed throughout all the world. Arise, O Lord our God. Let your light shine in us who believe in you. Let your light shine into the whole world. Let your name be glorified. You are indeed our Father, both in heaven and on earth. You give our lives security now and in eternity. Amen.

For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; 
your faithfulness extends to the clouds. 
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. 
Let your glory be over all the earth.
(Psalms 57:10-11 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for the steadfast love (chesed) of the Lord, as high as the heavens; may He be exalted and worshiped in all the earth
for the grace of God that blesses us and helps us on our earthly paths
that no cloud of this mortal life can hide from me that steadfast, immortal love of the Father, manifested in Jesus Christ
for the admonition to forgive others as God, in Christ, has forgiven us
for prayer

Seek the LORD and his strength; 
seek his presence continually.
(Psalms 105:4 NRSV)

Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, 
and to those who are upright in their hearts.
(Psalms 125:4 NRSV)

As for mortals, their days are like grass;
 they flourish like a flower of the field; 
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, 
and its place knows it no more.
(Psalms 103:15-16 NRSV)

"Lord, have mercy;
Christ, have mercy;
Lord, have mercy."

"Most loving Father,
whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things,
to fear nothing but the loss of you,
and to cast all our cares on you who cares for us:
Preserve me from faithless fears and worldly anxieties,
that no clouds of this mortal life
 may hide from me the light of this love which is immortal, 
and which you have manifested to us 
in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. 
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
(Ephesians 4:31-32 NRSV)

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh; for these are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these. I am warning you, as I warned you before: those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.
(Galatians 5:16-25 NRSV)

Stay wide-awake in prayer.
(1 Peter 4:7 MSG)

When we pray, we connect with the almighty. There are a lot of things that can affect our prayer, and they are not all good.

The emotions and subsequent actions of Ephesians 4:31 could definitely negatively affect our prayers. Have you every tried to pray in bitterness? In wrath or anger? I have. It doesn’t go well, usually. It is apparent that some of the psalmists also did that, based on psalms such as Psalm 137. It’s in the Bible, so there’s a good reason for it. But I do not believe that I would ever be able to pray that prayer back to God. I cannot see myself asking God to reward someone for dashing anyone’s babies against the rocks.

It is impossible, in my opinion, to sincerely pray for someone with malice in our hearts. I also do not believe that a prayer prayed for someone whom we are slandering (and by the way, I learned, last Sunday, that the word translated “slander” in that verse is “blasphemia.” That’s right. Blasphemy.) can be effective.

Emotions get in the way of our prayers. Of course, they can help our prayers, too. If we are working in the framework of the positive traits in verse 31, surely our prayers are better. But emotions aren’t prayer. As much as possible, we should attempt to detach our feelings when we are praying.

I think it is interesting that, in the middle of all of the negative things in Galatians 5, is a list that gets overlooked. Probably because we tend to focus on the first few things in that list. Fornication, impurity, licentiousness . . . we like to focus on those, because most Christians don’t see themselves as having issues with those. They may or may not be right in that.

But then we get this list: idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, envy. Then it’s back to some that we like to point out in others . . . drunkenness and carousing.

It is also interesting that the word that is so often translated as “sorcery” or “witchcraft” in that verse is “pharmakeia.” That word literally means “medicine.” I am nowhere near knowledgeable enough to comment on that, but I have thoughts that don’t belong in today’s discourse.

The rest of that list are things that are, unfortunately, commonly found in the Body of Christ. Or are they? If we are truly part of the Body of Christ, will we engage in those emotions and activities? Probably so, sadly. I mean Paul had to constantly be writing to people in the churches he started, correcting their behavior in areas like this.

Here’s the thing, people. We are human! We will always be human. We will never be perfect on this side of glory. I can only hope that, when we transition from this lift to the next, we will miraculously be changed. I believe this to be the case. I don’t want to feel many of the things that my flesh causes me to feel. I don’t want to engage in idolatry, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, quarrels, dissensions, factions, or envy. I don’t want to have malice toward anyone, much less a brother or sister in Christ. I don’t want to have bitterness, anger, or wrath, or blaspheme against my neighbor.

What I want is to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, just as Christ has forgiven me. I want to have love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

And I want to stay “wide-awake in prayer.”

“Lord, forgive us for our pride, when our faith becomes a show.” Expose our faults, Father. Show us where we are trying to cover up negative traits by both pointing out the faults of others while dressing ourselves up in fake righteousness. As we continue to move through this Lenten season, engaging in self-reflection based on Your Word and the life of Christ, may we see the truth about ourselves.

But this “truth” is two-fold (at least). Yes, we are flawed. Yes we stumble and fall into pits of malice, anger, wrath, and slander. We get jealous and envious of one another. We even find ourselves engaging in idolatry, though we are loathe to admit it. But we are also free and forgiven in Christ, bathed in righteousness, and all of our sins are erased, washed away, and cast as far as the east is from the west.

Have mercy, Father. Kyrie eleison! Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner! May Your Spirit fill us, and in that filling, chase out all of those bad emotions and actions, leaving only room for the fruit of the Spirit, which begins with love.

All things being with love, Father, so give us love in all things. Love covers a multitude of sins, said one of Your original disciples. It not only covers those sins, it erases them. And may it blot out completely all of the wrath, malice, slander, envy and other bad things in our lives.

Father, help me to stay wide-awake in prayer.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

Grace and peace, friends.

Great Are You, Lord

February 27, 2023 Jeff3 Comments

Today is Monday, the 27th of February, 2023, in the first week of Lent.

May the peace of Christ dwell within you today!

Day 23,727

Yesterday morning was wonderful! The entire worship service flowed in an almost miraculous way. The sermon for yesterday was “Forgive One Another.” They worked lyrics from the solo I sang both into the sermon, as well as into the congregational prayers. The song went very well. I believe it was better in the second service, as my nerves were settled a little bit by then. And it helped that I received many gracious compliments after the first service. I was almost overwhelmed by the positive feedback. But just as much credit goes to the music director. It was she, after all, who found the song that worked so well with both my voice and the flow of the service. And she is an excellent accompanist, as well.

As soon as the video appears on You Tube, I will post it.

Today should be a rather chill day. There are a few household chores that need to be done, but I got groceries delivered on Saturday, and I don’t think we are in desperate need of anything today. I might actually get some music practice in, today. I don’t have anything specific that I am working toward, at the moment, other than choir songs, but I can still practice.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Redeem me from human oppression, 
that I may keep your precepts.
(Psalms 119:134 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Lord our God, we come into your presence. Hear our prayers, we entreat you. Let your will be done among us; let your will be done for each one of us individually, and for our time. Let everything go according to your will, even if the way leads through tribulation, fear, and need. For in the end your goal will be reached. In the end you will fulfill your purpose, and your kingdom will come. Your kingdom will come to the honor of your name and for the redemption of all people still suffering on earth. Let your Word bring us blessing. May we go forward joyfully in the patience of Jesus Christ until times change, until a new day dawns and we are allowed to see your glory and your peace. Amen.

Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Beware, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(Revelation 2:10 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

that God’s purpose in His Kingdom will be fulfilled; He is in total control, regardless of how it appears
for strength to endure through tribulation, fear, and need
for the wonderful worship service we had, yesterday morning
for the large love (chesed) of God, and that we humans are also capable of loving in this way
that God is able to bring amazing beauty out of the wilderness of Lent

“And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
(Matthew 6:16-18 NRSV)

This is an important thing to remember, when engaging in Lent. We ought not go around broadcasting what we are doing for Lent, whether it be a fast from something or adding something meaningful to our life. It should be, essentially, a secret between self and God. There are three people who know what I am doing for Lent, this season. My wife, my mother, and one of my pastors. No one else will know, at least until after Easter.

Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you. 
Let those who love your salvation say evermore, "God is great!"
(Psalms 70:4 NRSV)

Say it with me: “God is great!” “Great are You, Lord!”

You have turned my mourning into dancing; 
you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,
so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. 
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
(Psalms 30:11-12 NRSV)

Praise the LORD! 
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
 in the company of the upright, 
in the congregation. 
Great are the works of the LORD, 
studied by all who delight in them. 
Full of honor and majesty is his work, 
and his righteousness endures forever. 
He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds; 
the LORD is gracious and merciful. 

The works of his hands are faithful and just; 
all his precepts are trustworthy. 
They are established forever and ever, 
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 
He sent redemption to his people; 
he has commanded his covenant forever. 
Holy and awesome is his name. 
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; 
all those who practice it have a good understanding. 
His praise endures forever. 
(Psalms 111:1-4, 7-10 NRSV)

"Open, Lord, my eyes that I may see.
Open, Lord, my ears that I may hear.
Open, Lord, my heart and my mind that I may understand.
So shall I turn to you and be healed."

"Most loving Father,
whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things,
to fear nothing but the loss of you,
and to cast all our cares on you who cares for us:
Preserve me from faithless fears and worldly anxieties,
that no clouds of this mortal life
 may hide from me the light of this love which is immortal, 
and which you have manifested to us 
in your Son Jesus Christ our Lord;
who lives and reigns with you, 
in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever. 
Amen."
(The Divine Hours - The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?'” David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him. It may be that the LORD will look on my distress, and the LORD will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.”
(2 Samuel 16:10-12 NRSV)

Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, and said to the king, “May my lord not hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; may the king not bear it in mind. For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, see, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.” Abishai son of Zeruiah answered, “Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?” But David said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today become an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?” The king said to Shimei, “You shall not die.” And the king gave him his oath.
(2 Samuel 19:18-23 NRSV)

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, 
the desert shall rejoice and blossom;
(Isaiah 35:1 NRSV)

He sustained him in a desert land, in a howling wilderness waste; he shielded him, cared for him, guarded him as the apple of his eye.
(Deuteronomy 32:10 NRSV)

A voice cries out: 
"In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,
 make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 
Every valley shall be lifted up, 
and every mountain and hill be made low; 
the uneven ground shall become level, 
and the rough places a plain. 
Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, 
and all people shall see it together, 
for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
(Isaiah 40:3-5 NRSV)

And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
(Mark 1:12-13 NRSV)

How exquisite your love, O God!
(Psalms 36:7 MSG)

First, I want to point out the mercy that David showed Shimei in 2 Samuel. This has always been a beautiful story to me. Shimei comes out of nowhere, throwing rocks and showering curses on David. David’s advisors want to behead Shimei. “No,” says David, “perhaps God has sent him to curse me.”

David had some pretty severe faults. But he truly was, in the big picture, a man after God’s own heart. I don’t know of any other human being that is as good at showing mercy as David was. He had at least two opportunities to kill Saul, who was trying to kill him. Yet he refused to lift a hand against “God’s anointed.” Would that we could all have the same mindset when it comes to retaliation.

Yesterday, in Sunday School, Pastor Eibel talked about Israel’s retaliation against the man who raped their sister, Dinah. “Violence begets violence,” he said, multiple times. And he reminded us that, while we ought not tire of seeking justice, “Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord.

Second, I want to talk about Lent. When we consider that the basis for Lent is Jesus’s time in the wilderness before He began His “public ministry,” we know that He fasted for 40 days. At the end of the 40 days, He was tempted by Satan. So, at its roots, the Lenten season is bleak, a wilderness, a kind of desert.

But oh, the things that the Lord can grow out of wilderness. “The desert shall rejoice and blossom!” says Isaiah. Our various activities throughout this season can, if we will allow them, produce beautiful results. We must be faithful and diligent, and allow God to work His will in us.

Third, let’s talk about love. (What, again??) The word for “love” in Psalm 36:7, is “chesed.” I have spoken of this Hebrew word, many times. It is also frequently translated “steadfast love,” and sometimes, even “mercy.”

Eugene H. Peterson says that the word “chesed” is a “large word. We don’t have a single word in the English language that can do it justice, “so we revert to the use of adjectives to bring out the distinctive quality and broad reach of this love: steadfast love, loyal love.”

Many times, as in Psalm 36:7, chesed is used to refer to the love of God. but we are “also capable of loving this way, even though we never seem to get veery good at it. Chesed is love without regard to shifting circumstances, hormones, emotional states, and personal convenience.”

(Quotes from Leap Over A Wall, quoted in God’s Message for Each Day)

GREAT ARE YOU, LORD!! O, my Father, how magnificent is Your Name in all the earth, and throughout the heavens! I praise and worship You, this morning. We have so many reasons to praise You. The primary reason is simply because You are God! In additions, we praise You for Your forgiveness of our sin. Thank You for the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, that paid the price for our sin. Thank You for erasing our sin when we believe in Christ and follow Him.

Now, I pray, Father, that You help us to be obedient and forgive each other. Jesus said that we are to forgive each other, even if someone sins seven times against us in the same day! He also advised our brother, Peter, to forgive “seventy times seven” times, which we assume to be indicative of no limit. There is also no provision in there for the asking of forgiveness by the offending person. In short, we are to forgive them whether they seek it or not! Help us to do this, Lord. Make Your Holy Spirit strong within us!

Help us to show the kind of mercy that David showed, both to King Saul, who was actively trying to kill him, and to Shimei, who threw rocks at him and cursed him. Enlarge our hearts, Father, that we might be quick to overlook offense and consider that, perhaps, You have sent it our way for testing and strengthening.

Thank You that You can bring beautiful things out of the wilderness of Lent, Father. We know that Lent is not necessarily a “biblical” season. Nevertheless, we find great value in observing it, as we consider the 40 days that our Savior spent in the wilderness. For all who are observing Lent, this year, I pray that You give us wisdom and strength; that we might fulfill our commitment, and that we might also keep silent about it before others. It is between You and us.

Finally, Father, thank You for Your great chesed, Your “large love,” as Peterson called it. Your love is indeed large, Father. It is larger than anything. And it is most certainly larger than our sins. Help us to love in the same way You love. Help us to both love You and to love our fellow humans as we love ourselves.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

The Book that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World

February 25, 2023 Jeff

It is Saturday, the 25th of February, 2023, in the season of Lent.

May the peace of Christ dwell in your hearts today!

Day 23,725

Yesterday was a good day at the library computer center. We were relatively busy most of the day, for the second Friday in a row. It was also cold outside, for about the fourth Friday in a row. It’s weird. For several weeks, running, we have had 70s-80s during the week, and then 40s or below on Friday. It is currently 38 outside, right now, and should make it up to the low 50s, with a medium chance of rain.

Today, I suspect, will be rather chill. No pun intended. C’s hip is hurting her, so I doubt we will try to do anything active. I’ve got a grocery order coming, which may wind up getting here before I finish this blog. I’ve really become a fan of Kroger’s “Boost” plan. With the higher-level plan ($99/year, same as Walmart and Albertson’s), I can usually get delivery within two hours of order time. The delivery is done by Instacart, and they have done a great job, so far.

Since it my off Saturday, I will plan to make burgers for the family, this evening. They really like my burgers, for some reason. Maybe it’s my “special cocktail” of seasoning.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

Turn to me and be gracious to me, 
as is your custom toward those who love your name.
(Psalms 119:132 NRSV)

Father, may my prayers for those listed in my prayerbook be heard, this morning. Grant healing where healing is needed; grant comfort and peace for those in mourning, and grant wisdom and guidance for those who need it. There are a few who need a miracle, Father. Only You can do miracles.

O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; 
give ear, O God of Jacob! 
[Selah]
(Psalms 84:8 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Dear Father in heaven, grant that we may stand in your grace. Grant that the light of your grace may come to us through your Word. Keep us firm in faith until the promised time when your redemption shall come to all the nations on earth. We are often anxious and ask ourselves if people can bear it. Will they learn to listen to your Word? Will they remain steadfast when hard times come? Will they turn to you alone, to you who know the hour and appoint the time when we may see the promised day? Let the might of your hand prevail over the whole world. You are the only power that can help us out of our great affliction, you our only Lord. Amen.

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, 
my chosen, in whom my soul delights; 
I have put my spirit upon him; 
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
(Isaiah 42:1 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for Jesus Christ, Son and Servant of God, Chosen to bring forth justice to the nations
for the grace in which we stand in Jesus
for eyes to see and ears to hear
that “my heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody.” (Psalm 57:7)
for the Word that shouts love at the heart of the world

Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; 
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
(Psalms 95:2 NRSV)

My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. 
I will sing and make melody. 
Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! 
I will awake the dawn. 
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; 
I will sing praises to you among the nations. 
For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens; 
your faithfulness extends to the clouds. 
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens. 
Let your glory be over all the earth.
(Psalms 57:7-11 NRSV)

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man is seated on the throne of his glory, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold, and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.
(Matthew 19:28-30 NRSV, emphasis added)

"O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing:
Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift,
which is love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtue,
without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you.
Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and forever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours--The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

The hearing ear and the seeing eye—
the LORD has made them both.
(Proverbs 20:12 NRSV)

But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people.
(Jeremiah 28:7 NRSV)

For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
(Galatians 5:14 NRSV)

I’m definitely no scholar when it comes to Greek grammar. However, Eugene H. Peterson says that, in the above verse, the word that is translated “summed up” (“fulfilled” in some translations), is in perfect tense. “As such it means the whole law has been fulfilled every time one person loves another as himself.

"To love my neighbor as less than myself is to treat them as a means to my ends. To love them more would set them up for using me as a means to their ends. One way is as much a violation of love as the other, and as destructive of freedom. The command protects my freedom as much as yours, yours as much as mine. No one sacrifices freedom at the expense of the other. All become increasingly free."
(From Traveling Light, quoted in God's Message for Each Day)

I agree with this to a point. But we must also remember that Paul has told us that we are to consider others as more significant than ourselves. So there is a fine line of freedom, here. I remember hearing, at some point in the past, that my freedom to swing my fist ends at the tip of your nose. That’s somewhat humorous, of course, but it is very true. I am free; I am free in Christ, and in this nation, I have freedoms that some nations do not experience. However, that does not mean that I can do anything that I want to do with no consequences.

Jesus has said, multiple times, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” God has given us ears to hear and eyes to see. This is not necessarily physical ears and eyes. Jeremiah admonished the people to listen. We can listen to words and not hear them. Or maybe that should be the other way around. We can hear words, but not be listening to them. Hopefully, you get my drift, though.

Not everyone seems to have “ears to hear” and “eyes to see.” Many people hear and see only what they want to hear and see. We are admonished by Scripture, by God, through Jesus Christ and other Biblical writers, to listen, to hear.

And His Word shouts to us, “Love.” There is an old book by Harlan Ellison, a somewhat offbeat Science Fiction author, called The Beast that Shouted Love at the Heart of the World. I was about to say that I don’t remember much about it, and that would definitely be true, because I apparently have not ever read it. But who could forget the title, right?

Well, the Bible has shouted love at the heart of the world.

If we have ears, we would do well to listen and hear. And then do the same.

Father, I am doing my best to shout love to the heart of the world. I pray for Your Spirit to help me. I pray that I would be a suitable channel for Your love, that we could have a Love Revolution. Jesus started a revolution, and His disciples continued it, wherever they went. Perhaps we have gotten a little off track as we attempt to continue this in our own era. Perhaps we are hearing some of the wrong things, and allowing our own personal preferences to cloud our ears and eyes.

Heal us, Father. Open our eyes and ears that we might see Jesus and hear Him, and then do the things that He said, so that we might love our neighbor as ourselves, thereby fulfilling the law and the prophets.

Thank You for Your Word, Lord. Thank You that I have eyes to see and ears to hear; may I be faithful to use them and listen to You.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

Grace and peace, friends.

Kyrie Eleison

February 23, 2023 Jeff2 Comments

Today is Thursday, the 23rd of February, 2023, in the season of Lent.

May the peace of Christ find you today.

Day 23,723

Last night’s Ash Wednesday service was wonderful. I think the choir anthem went well, but I will have a better idea of that when the video is posted. It was a very meaningful time for me, especially when the time for the “imposition of ashes” came. We all went to the altar, as usual, for communion, but before the bread and wine, we each got (at our own discretion, of course) the cross of ashes on our forehead.

This morning, I have a doctor appointment at 10:45, which is a follow-up to recheck my blood pressure after a month of raising my medication dosage. Hopefully that will test better, this morning. And hopefully, they won’t yell at me too much as I have had a slight weight gain since last month. But, as they say, it is what it is, right?

Tonight, S has her Club Metro event. They will be playing dodgeball tonight, after having dinner from Jersey Mike’s. We have already signed her up for March’s events, but the schedule is not out, yet. C and I will have dinner together somewhere while S has her event. We look forward to that.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL AND PRAYERS

The unfolding of your words gives light; 
it imparts understanding to the simple.
(Psalms 119:130 NRSV)

Daily Prayer from Plough.com

Lord God, we turn to you, praying that your kingdom may come. May your Jerusalem really come on earth, with all those blessed ones who are allowed to gather around Jesus Christ through forgiveness of sins and the resurrection. Come with your light into our time so that sins may be forgiven and people may find salvation. Remember those in great distress. Come with your help to those struggling with sin or death, for help can come from you alone. Nothing can help us except your fatherly love in Jesus Christ. Praised be your name! Amen.

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
(Revelation 7:9-10 NRSV)

Today I am grateful:

for that vision in Revelation; it brings me such joy
for a wonderful Ash Wednesday worship service, last night
for the fatherly love of God in Christ Jesus and His help which comes from Him alone
that God, our Father, is rich in mercy
for love, without which nothing I do has any value

Turn to me and be gracious to me; 
give your strength to your servant; 
save the child of your serving girl.
(Psalms 86:16 NRSV)

You are a hiding place for me; 
you preserve me from trouble; 
you surround me with glad cries of deliverance. 
[Selah]
(Psalms 32:7 NRSV)

But surely, God is my helper; 
the Lord is the upholder of my life.
(Psalms 54:4 NRSV)

In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, 
and the Word was God. 
He was in the beginning with God. 
All things came into being through him,
 and without him not one thing came into being. 
What has come into being in him was life, 
and the life was the light of all people. 
The light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness did not overcome it.
(John 1:1-5 NRSV)

Glory be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, so it is now and so it shall ever be, world without end. Alleluia. Amen.

"O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing:
Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart your greatest gift,
which is love,
the true bond of peace and of all virtue,
without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you.
Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God,
now and forever.
Amen."
(The Divine Hours--The Prayer Appointed for the Week)

The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,”
(Exodus 34:6 NRSV)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.”
(Matthew 5:7 NRSV)

Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
(Hebrews 4:16 NRSV)

The LORD looks down from heaven on humankind 
to see if there are any who are wise, 
who seek after God.
(Psalms 14:2 NRSV)

Kyrie Eleison.

Lord, have mercy.

According to our senior pastor, in last night’s Ash Wednesday sermon, “mercy” is the only characteristic that the Bible says that God is “rich in.” I have not taken the time to verify this. However, I do know that the Bible specifically does say that God is rich in mercy.

But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which he loved us . . .
(Ephesians 2:4 NRSV)

And the “rich in mercy” phrase comes right after two of my favorite words in the whole Bible, “But God.”

The word for “mercy” in that verse is “eleos,” which means can be translated as “compassion.” This is the most common word translated “mercy” in the New Testament.

However, we read a passage from Luke, last night, that I will share with you. It is a familiar passage, one that I have quoted frequently, myself.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”
(Luke 18:9-14 NRSV)

In verse 13, the word translated “merciful” is an entirely different Greek word, “hilaskomai.” The meaning is significantly different. “To conciliate, i.e. (transitively) to atone for (sin), or (intransitively) be propitious:—be merciful, make reconciliation for.”

This word is only found twice in the Bible. The other location is Hebrews 2:17.

Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
(Hebrews 2:17 NRSV)

A major theme of Lent is repentance. We focus on reflection and meditation during this time. In many cases, something is given up, in the spirit of abstinence. But the purpose for all of these things is repentance as we reflect on the forty days that Jesus spent in the wilderness, fasting, before being tempted by the devil.

And during this time, we cry Kyrie Eleison. Lord, have mercy.

The “Jesus prayer” is adapted from the Luke passage, from the words of the Tax collector. “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” And note the posture of the tax collector. He would not even look up as he prayed, and he was “beating his breast.” He was guilty. He was remorseful. He repented.

I pray that “Jesus prayer” frequently. Sometimes, multiple times a day. Sometimes I repeat it at night, when I am struggling to fall asleep.

We are not saying that one of these kinds of “mercy” is better than the other. We are simply pointing out the differences. There is another word that is sometimes translated “mercy,” and sometimes translated “steadfast love.” That word is “chesed.” That’s a Hebrew word, found in the Old Testament. It means the same thing as “eleos” in the New Testament, rooted in compassion. (There are also different forms of “eleos” in the New Testament, but this isn’t a Greek lesson.)

Kyrie Eleison.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, forgive my sins. Grant me repentance as I reflect on Jesus, His life, His sacrifice on the Cross. Grant me atonement, that I might live, and in my living, live for You alone. “Have mercy on me, God, according to Your steadfast love. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. . . . Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. . . . O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.”

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”

All glory to You, Father, through the Son, and by the Spirit.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, 
have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
have mercy upon us.
O, Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world,
grant us Your peace.
(Agnus Dei)

Grace and peace, friends.