Silent Sentinels

Good morning. It is Tuesday, September 16, 2014.

Today is Guacamole Day! What a wonderful day!! Unfortunately, I had guacamole yesterday. If I had known . . .

Yesterday was an okay day. Work went well. We had free lunch catered by On the Border (hence the guacamole), and I ate too much, which made me drowsy and sluggish all afternoon. Other than that, though, I’m feeling pretty good. Christi, though, was feeling like she was catching a cold, and still has the vertigo going on, when she turns her head certain ways. This morning, she says she is feeling better, but still has the dizziness.

I guess we have our Huddle meeting tonight, being that it is Tuesday.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
Psalm 86:11

(From The Divine Hours)

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
Psalm 95:1-2
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah.
Psalm 67:1
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!
Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their master,
as the eyes of a maidservant to the hand of her mistress,
so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he has mercy upon us.
Psalm 123:1-2
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.
Psalm 7:17
Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts;
his name is the LORD; exult before him!
Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.
Psalm 68:4-5

Today’s Gospel Reading

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:25-33

Following up on the heels of the passage I ready yesterday, Jesus expounds a little more on the foolishness of being concerned about our earthly treasures. He tells us we don’t need to be concerned with the clothes we will wear or the food we will eat. God knows what we need, and will provide it, IF we seek first his kingdom. There is an implication here that, in my opinion, goes along with his statements about seeking the approval of men. If we give to the poor in front of others, their approval will be the only reward we receive. If we pray loudly and boisterously in front of men and receive their approval, that will be the only reward we receive. If we fast, making it obvious to others, their approval will be our only reward. If we spend our lives toiling and straining for material things, constantly worried about the clothes we wear and the food we eat, that will be our reward. All of these things are temporary. Another “reward” will be the constant anxiety of worrying about tomorrow; the constant “what if?”

But if we seek first the king of God and his righteousness, not only will we get THAT (which is much more important), we will also get all those other things that we chose NOT to strive after.

Jesus finishes up with a statement that is similar to what my mother used to say when I was a boy. “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” My mother used to tell me, “Don’t borrow trouble.”

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Sins of Omission.”

Brennan tells a story of a time when he was with a group at Coney Island. “A few yards away in the center of the boardwalk, a man was pouring a can of beer on the head and down the blouse of a pregnant girl of maybe fifteen. He was describing aloud in lurid detail how he had sexually abused her and what he had in mind later. She appeared slightly intoxicated; at any rate, she was crying.”

The group Brennan was with decided to leave. As they were walking toward the car, Brennan heard, deep in his soul, like a bell resounding, “Who are you?”

“I stopped as if my shoes were stuck to the pavement. ‘I am a son of my Father,’ I said.”

The voice responded with, That girl is my daughter.

Brennan went back, took the girl aside and talked with her for a few minutes while people around taunted. Then he says, “That night I wept, not for them but for myself, for the countless times I have played the silent sentinel, afraid to acknowledge the presence of the Son of Man in the least of my brothers and sisters. How often I’ve seen human dignity being degraded and been content to moralize about the situation and walk away.”

James, the brother of Jesus, tells us in his little letter, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” ((James 4:17)

So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold,
I will spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:16

Father, I’m not quite sure how to pray over this one. I know that there have been plenty of times that I have not spoken up or not acted when I knew what the right thing was. I confess these times and pray that you will give me the courage to speak up or act when those time occur. I know that there are some times when the fear is more for my own safety than simply being ridiculed. These days, you never know how someone is going to react. I pray for wisdom and courage to do the right thing when necessary. May we, your Church, not continue to be “silent sentinels” in our world around us and speak up when the circumstances call for it. But let us also be very, very sure that we are speaking your words and thoughts, not just our own misguided opinions!

I pray for this day. I pray that you would give us grace to seek your kingdom first today, in the midst of our daily work day. Give us safe passage to and from work, and show us how to walk with you through the work day. May the Gospel be present in our lives; may we display it to others in all that we do. I pray that you show Stephanie your overwhelming love today, and bring healing to her mind. Show her the path to walk.

May we be wise with the wisdom of God in our actions and circumstances, not being “silent sentinels,” but speaking and acting in the grace and mercy of the Lord, who is the “Father of the fatherless and protector of widows!”

Grace and peace, friends.

Consistency

Good morning. It is Monday, September 15, 2014.

Today is Felt Hat Day. I have one of those, but I don’t wear it too often, these days. It’s been to warm to wear hats to work. Maybe when it’s fall and winter, I will again.

Speaking of which, fall, I believe, begins next Monday night, at around 9:30. I’m very happy about that! I haven’t been a fan of summer since my school days. These days, summer is just a run of scorching hot days on which I still have to work.

As is our custom, of late, Christi made steak and baked potatoes last night, which were very delicious, after which we had banana bread, which was also scrumptious. She has found, I believe, the winning recipe for that stuff!! We got some good rest, as we watched several episodes of “House of Cards” on Netflix.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace . . .

(From The Divine Hours)

Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!
Psalm 96:2-3
O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
Psalm 5:3
Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power.
Psalm 21:13

The Concluding Prayer of the Church
Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross
that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we who
glory in the mystery of our redemption may have the grace to take up our cross
and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God,
in glory everlasting. Amen.

Today’s Gospel Reading

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 6:19-24

The first part of this reading is pretty straightforward. All of the “treasure” that we could gather in this life will decay. The word translated “rust” refers to more than just the oxidation process of metals. It also refers to such things as wood rot, mildew, and so on. Everything in our material world decays. And if we put our stock in those treasures, we will decay right along with them. Instead, we are to gather treasures in heaven, “where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” The statement that follows is chilling, and brings to mind the story of the rich young ruler that we see in Luke. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

The next paragraph is not quite so clear. What kind of “light” does your “eye” allow in? If your “eye” is good, it will let in the “light” of God’s will. This eye is the one that stores up treasures in heaven. If the eye is bad, it only lets in the “darkness” of greed and material hoarding. This eye is the one that stores up earthly treasures. Jesus follows this up with the famous statement of verse 24, “You cannot serve God and money (mammon).”

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Being True to Self.”

My first reaction to this title is, “What??” But let’s see what he has to say.

Paul says to the Thessalonians, “but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

“Here is the essence of perfect sincerity in conduct – to care for nothing but God’s judgment on our actions, not to vary our attitude to suit the company we are in, not to hold one opinion when alone and adopt another in conversation, but to speak and act as in the sight of God who can read our inmost thoughts.” We must strive to make sure the outward man and the inner man match up. This is what Brennan means by “being true to self,” to the point that the thought of human opinion cannot sway us to be false.

And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more,
with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent,
and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
Philippians 1:9-10

Father, time grows short as I conclude this, this morning. I pray that I would be consistent. May my outward and inner person be one and the same, mirroring Christ in all things. Keep me from falling into sin; keep me from swaying my opinions based on who I am around; keep me from reacting harshly to situations; fill me with your Spirit today.

Keep us safe today as we drive to and from work. May our work day be productive and honoring to you. Keep Stephanie safe at home and fill her with your love. I also pray that her headache will go away.

Your grace is sufficient.

May our inner convictions and our outward actions always match.

Grace and peace, friends.

Riding On A Merry-Go-Round

Good morning. It is Sunday, September 14, 2014. It is 64 degrees, and there is only one day over the next ten that has a projected temperature of at least 90 degrees. I think I’m going to cry.

Today is Eat A Hoagie Day. That actually sounds kind of good. Maybe I’ll do that.

Christi wound up having vertigo yesterday afternoon, so she didn’t make it to church. I’m thinking it was a combination of exhaustion from running around all morning, plus mama drama, as well, as her mother has been “misbehaving” this week. Hopefully, we will have a good day of rest today. There are a few things that Christi wants to get done today, but otherwise, it should be a nice day, with what has become sort of a tradition of steaks and baked potatoes for dinner, to close out the weekend.

I had a nice conversation yesterday evening with the younger brother of the young man who passed away on Thursday evening. Jordan had posted a few things on Facebook, and I simply responded by telling him that we had a lot of people praying for them. He responded by asking me to call him, so I did. Mostly, I just let him talk. I think he’s going to be fine. Most of the words he said were spot on, right in line with the grieving process, and he spoke quite seriously about being strong for his mother. I pretty much just affirmed and encouraged him. While Christi was finishing up her stuff, Stephanie and I went to Fogata’s for lunch (Christi told us to go without her). Jared, the young man who passed, worked a brief stint at Fogata’s as a waiter. When we told Mike the news, he was almost overwhelmed, as was another one of the waiters who remembered Jared. Mike was so upset and moved, that he offered to send a fajita dinner to the family last night. I contacted the lady who has been setting up the dinners, and we were able to make that happen. So, if you’re in the area, be sure and give Fogata’s some business! They are good people.

(Source: Christian History Institute)

It was on this date in 1741 that George Frederick Handel completed the oratorio, The Messiah, which he had only begun working on 28 days before. “The manuscript is remarkably free of errors considering its length, the speed with which it is composed, and his own infirmity—he has already suffered a stroke.” Here is the ending of the oratorio.

Today’s birthdays include Andrew Lincoln (who happens to be married to the daughter of Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson), Amy Winehouse, Sam Neill, Clayton Moore, Joey Heatherton, Ivan Pavlov, Faith Ford, Walter Koenig, Mark Hall, Morten Harket, Jessica Brown Findlay, Margaret Sanger, Bowzer, Mary Crosby, and Steve Gaines.

Two actors I would feature today. Walter Koenig turns 78 today. He is most famous for playing Chekov in classic Star Trek, alongside Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner. I once met Mr. Koenig at a Comic-Con. He is a tiny man, and most gracious. A very friendly man.

The other is Sam Neill, who turns 67 today. My favorite role of his is, of course, Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park. Here is my favorite clip from that movie, which still ranks in my top five favorite movies of all time.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
James 1:22

(From The Divine Hours)

. . . and in his temple all cry, “Glory!”
Psalm 29:9
Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me!
Say to my soul, “I am your salvation!”
Psalm 35:1, 3
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who alone does wondrous things.
Blessed be his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory! Amen and Amen!
Psalm 72:18-19
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen.
Psalm 41:13
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.
He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.
A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.
You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.
Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
Psalm 91:1-10

The Prayer Appointed for the Week
O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your
Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule my heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Today’s Gospel Reading

“And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:16-18

This is a concept that is not so common among modern-day Christians. We don’t fast very much. There are certainly some who do, but it is not a widespread practice. It seems to have been a legalistic thing in Jesus’s day. I have read reports that said that Jews fasted on Mondays and Thursdays. I don’t know how accurate those reports are. But it was certainly more common, and it was expected of a good Jew. In addition, a habit seems to have developed that a person would purposefully not anoint their head on a day when they were fasting, so as to appear more pious than others. Anointing of the head was, according to the Reformation Study Bible notes, a symbol of rejoicing. Well, one can hardly expect to be “rejoicing” when one is walking around hungry all day, can one?? Actually, yes, says Jesus. One can be expected to rejoice, because of the true purpose and nature of real fasting. It is not to draw attention to yourself. It is for the purpose of prayer and devotion, and should be a private thing, just like helping the poor and praying. Interestingly, Jesus uses the exact same phrase for the third time, at the end of this passage. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. The message is clear. If we do anything at all with the purpose of being noticed and applauded by men, that will be our only reward.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Wearing Masks.”

“In the struggle with self-hatred, we obviously do not like what we see. It is uncomfortable, if not intolerable, to confront our true selves, and so, like runaway slaves, we either flee our own reality or manufacture a false self, which is mostly admirable, mildly prepossessing, and superficially happy.” We inevitably employ defense mechanisms in this maneuver. Those defense mechanisms distort our perception of reality, while protecting us from “fear, loss, and emotional pain. Through the smoke screen of rationalization, projection, displacement, insulation, intellectualization, and generalization, we remain on the merry-go-round of denial and dishonesty.” I love that last sentence. Read it again.

“Through the smoke screen of rationalization, projection, displacement, insulation, intellectualization, and generalization, we remain on the merry-go-round of denial and dishonesty.”

We who ride this merry-go-round wear a thousand different masks “to disguise the face of fear.”

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
1 John 4:18

Father, I don’t want to wear masks. I want to be transparent, and I believe that I pretty much am, most of the time. Anyone who knows me at all, knows that I can’t hide what I am feeling. Not one bit. If I don’t agree with something, it is all over my face. If I’m upset over something, it is visible. I pray for the wisdom of the Holy Spirit in all situations, that I might not be guilty of manufacturing a false self in order to protect myself from fear, loss, or emotional pain. I have no desire to ride on this “merry-go-round of denial and dishonesty.” This also means that I don’t want to be guilty of pretending to go along with something when I don’t believe or agree with it. Give me wisdom, Lord, as I struggle with my own faults and “self-hatred.” Help me to confront my true self with honesty and the grace that you have shown me in Christ. Then, help me to turn around and direct that same grace to others.

I pray for this day. Christi has a couple things to do this afternoon, involving her mom and step-dad, and I pray that she would have grace and strength throughout. I pray for good rest this evening, as we prepare for another work week. I am grateful that my cellulitis seems to be pretty much gone. Help me to take better care of myself in the future, in order to, hopefully, avoid this condition.

I continue to lift up the Knight/Hogan family, as they grieve the loss of Jared, who was close to all of them. May your comfort and peace overwhelm them in this time of overwhelming loss. May they truly find that your grace is sufficient.

Let’s get off of the dismal “merry-go-round of denial and dishonesty,” and throw off the masks. May Christ shine through in all we do, as we struggle with ourselves.

Grace and peace, friends.

Stand Out From the Crowd

Good morning. It is Saturday, September 13, 2014. It’s 56 degrees outside this morning. Mmmmmm. . .

I never got a chance to get that chocolate milk shake yesterday. But today is Defy Superstition Day. I’ll try to find some sidewalk cracks to step on while carrying a black cat under a ladder while breaking a mirror. That should do it.

Yesterday evening was a bit strange. By the time I got home, I had this awful feeling that I was catching a cold (just what I need, right?). I was very tired, and could barely stay awake through the two episodes of House of Cards that we watched on Netflix. We love that show, by the way. I can’t decide whether to love or hate Francis Underwood. So, anyway, I took some NyQuil (or at least CVS’s version of it) and went to bed around 9:00 PM. I finished a book that I have been reading for the last month (Drood, by Dan Simmons) and dropped off to sleep, to not awaken (as far as I know) until around 6:00 AM. I kept sleeping (in spite of Screamer the cat’s incessant yowling) until almost 7:00. I feel much better this morning, no hint, at least at this time, of any “cold” activity.

We received some sad news yesterday. A family that we used to go to church with, back in our South Haltom days, has had a tragedy. The oldest son in the family died suddenly on Thursday night. The preliminary findings are that it was either a heart attack or brain aneurysm. I’m not sure how old he was, but I think he couldn’t have been much more than his early thirties. We are going to take some lunch to their house today, after Christi gets done with her morning run for groceries for us and her mother.

This evening, as usual, we have our Anchor prayer gathering and worship service, beginning at 4:45 (I was told I got the times wrong last weekend). Worship happens at 5:45. If you’re in the area, you are invited to visit us at The Exchange.

(Source: This Day In History)

On this date in 1936, a seventeen-year-old pitcher for the Cleveland Indians struck out seventeen batters, setting a new American League record. That pitcher’s name was Bob Feller. He signed with the Indians when he was sixteen years old, for an autographed baseball and one dollar. My how times have changed!

Feller would go on to retire from the Indians in 1956, having won more games than any other Indians pitcher, and that even with a four year interruption, as he served in the Navy during WWII. In 1957, his jersey number, 19, was the first to be retired by the Indians organization.

Looking at today’s birthdays: Ben Savage, Roald Dahl, Milton S. Hershey, Dave Mustaine, Fiona Apple, Nell Carter, David Clayton Thomas, Jacqueline Bisset, Peter Cetera, Zak Starkey (son of Ringo), Richard Kiel (passed away this week), Claudette Colbert, Mel Torme, Bill Monroe, Jean Smart, Bela Karolyi, Daniel Defoe, Arnold Schoenberg, Barbara Bain, Don Was, and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

I’m going to feature three of these, today. Fiona Apple is 37 today, an American singer/songwriter who won a Grammy from her first album, Tidal, in 1996. Here is the video for her song “Paper Bag.”

Peter Cetera is, unbelievably, 70 years old today. Cetera was lead singer and bass player for Chicago until 1984. He departed the band to pursue a troubled solo career after their album, Chicago 17, arguably the best album in the band’s history. Here is the video for my always and forever favorite song of theirs, “Hard Habit to Break.” It is unfortunate that it is my favorite, because it reminds me of what was probably the most difficult time of my life. But it also reminds me of the beginning of the best time of my life, so that’s okay. 🙂 Oh, for those who don’t know, Peter Cetera is the one with the high voice.

And finally, David Clayton Thomas. He turns 73 years old today, and was the voice of Blood, Sweat & Tears. Here is a clip of one of their great songs, “God Bless the Child.”

I hope you have enjoyed these musical selections as much as I did. 🙂

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

(From The Divine Hours)

Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth.
Psalm 46:8
O my Strength, I will watch for you, for you, O God, are my fortress.
Psalm 59:9
As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.
Psalm 103:15-16
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Luke 21:33

Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!
1 Chronicles 16:10
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.
Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.
One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.
For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.
And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the LORD.
Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me!
You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”
Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!
For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the LORD will take me in.
Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.
Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.
I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!
Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Psalm 27

Today’s Gospel Reading

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:14-15

If you’re like me, and you are, sometimes, these two verses have caused quite a conflict in your life. Out of all of the phrases in the Model Prayer, Jesus chooses this one to backtrack and highlight with further commentary. Not hallowing the Father’s name. Not bringing in the Kingdom. Not daily provision. Not deliverance from the devil. Forgiveness. He seems to be making MY state of forgiveness contingent upon whether or not I forgive others! Doesn’t this go against all of what we believe about grace?? The point is, if we have not received enough grace to forgive others when they “trespass” against us, then we had best not count on receiving God’s forgiveness. Even those words fall far short of what I’m trying to say here. If I cannot forgive my brother, then I cannot claim to have received God’s forgiveness. So if I’m harboring a grudge against anyone, I had best step back and examine my own faith. We must relinquish those feelings! It doesn’t matter who we are holding a grudge against. It doesn’t matter what they have done to us. Hear this well! Jesus thought it important enough to be the only phrase in the Model Prayer to add further commentary to! The bottom line is that we, as Christians, cannot afford to ignore these two verses.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Noncomformity.”

“The crowd does not take kindly to noncomformity.” Haha! That seems like an incredible understatement, does it not? What distracts us the most from our goal of living out of the center of God’s holiness and will for our lives? Could it be the “scorn of our peers?” Do we worry all too much about what others will think about us if we get a little too radical? Unfortunately, there seem to be those who carry that so far as to trample others completely, with no regard, whatsoever, for their feelings. That’s a topic for a different day, though. How much do I fail to do because I fear ridicule? It seems that I would argue, publicly, opinions about my favorite baseball teams before I would defend my devotion to Christ. How wrong is that? “The irony is that the opinions we fear most are not those of people we really respect, yet these very persons influence our lives more than we want to admit.” Now, there’s a statement to really think about! I guess I hadn’t considered that, at all.

When we live “out of the center,” we become liberated Christians. Alfred Camus is quoted as saying, “The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very act of existence becomes an act of rebellion.” Brennan follows this up by saying, “There is nothing more maddening to the mob than a free person.”

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.
1 Corinthians 9:19

Father, help me to be free from the “mob mentality.” And it is sad that, sometimes, this means even rejecting what a large number of well-meaning Christians want me to think or believe. Help me to live out of the center of your holiness and your will for my life. I would desire that my “very act of existence” would be an “act of rebellion.” I desire that because I desire to be yours and yours alone. Teach me your way, that I may walk in your truth. Make the life of Christ my life. Make the characteristics of the Beatitudes and the Fruit of the Spirit be the very lifelines of my life. Teach me to be aware of your presence all day, every day.

Father, I pray for this day. We have already been active. I pray that the Knight family will be able to enjoy the lunch we took over for them. I pray for comfort and peace for them at this terrible, unexpected loss on Thursday evening. We cannot even imagine the heartbreak and sadness that they are experiencing. May you draw them very close to you during this time. I pray for us as we continue to take care of the day’s errands and activities. I pray for our worship time this evening, that it will be glorifying to you and that your name will be lifted high. May the Gospel be clear tonight, and may our prayer time exalt your name. Bring us ever closer to you through our worship and through the words that Jacob will speak tonight. Teach us how to glorify you with our finances.

May we all have the faith to stand out from the crowd. And, yes, I do believe that we can collectively accomplish that, because we do not all have to look the same.

Grace and peace, friends.

Don’t Sit On the Fence; You Will Get A Sore Arse

Good morning. It’s Friday! September 12, 2014.

Today is Chocolate Milk Shake Day. To celebrate, I’m beginning the day with Cafe Mocha coffee. Not quite the same, but who knows. The day is young. I wonder if Sonic will have them on sale today . . .

I’ve been feeling progressively better each day, but it has still been strange. Yesterday, right after lunch, I really started feeling bad. I started fearing that I might not even make it through the afternoon. Then, suddenly, around 3:15, when I went to my afternoon break, I felt better. Much better. I even stayed almost an hour over to try to get our box count down. Then, on the way, I was pretty hungry. This morning, I still feel pretty good, so maybe I’m on the “home stretch,” if you will.

I don’t know of any plans this weekend. I probably need to keep resting as much as I can, just to completely knock out this illness.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

(From The Divine Hours)

Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD,
who stand in the house of the LORD, in the courts of the house of our God!
Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good; sing to his name, for it is pleasant!
Psalm 135:1-3
I say to the LORD, You are my God; give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O LORD!
Psalm 140:6
For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.
Psalm 97:9

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
1 Timothy 2:1
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
James 5:16

These are just a few of the verses that tell us how important it is to intercede for each other. And we can’t intercede for each other if we don’t communicate our needs to each other. So there is responsibility on both sides. If you need prayer, TELL SOMEONE! And if someone asks you to pray for them, DO IT! Even if you aren’t sure you agree with what the are asking for, you can still pray for God’s will to be done in their life.

Today’s Gospel Reading

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Matthew 6:13

Would God actually “lead” us into temptation? I like the way Eugene Peterson puts that verse in The Message. “Keep us safe from ourselves and the Devil.” While not a “literal” translation, I’m not sure it doesn’t capture the meaning better. We (those who are forgiven) pray this prayer because we don’t trust ourselves. I trust God to protect me; I do not trust myself to stay out of trouble. Therefore, I ask God to “lead me not into temptation, but deliver me from evil.” He may test us, for sure. But he will also not allow us to be tempted beyond our ability to resist. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) Unfortunately, in recent years, people have perverted that verse and begun to proclaim that “God won’t give you more than you can handle!” This is simply not true, folks. Also, the idea is not so much being delivered from “evil” as it is the “evil one,” which means that Peterson may have hit much closer than most modern translations.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Making the Choice.”

“The crisis of American spirituality, put bluntly, is Spirit versus flesh . . . We do not choose decisively between God and Mammon, and our procrastination constitutes a decision itself.” We’ve all heard the cliche, right? “Not to decide is to decide.” I like what Brennan says next: “we carefully distribute ourselves between flesh and Spirit with a watchful eye on both.

I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it.

It’s like we are watching to see which way is going to turn out best before we decide. Well, we simply cannot afford to do this. “The unwillingness to sustain ourselves in the continual self-awareness that we are sons of the Father in Christ Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, causes a spiritual schizophrenia of the most frightening kind.” I am not so much afraid to tell you who I am. The truth is probably more along the lines that I don’t KNOW who I am! I must give “the deep inner assent to my Christian identity.” I cannot afford to be afraid to lose my life in order to save my true identity. “God calls me by my name, and I do not answer,” because I do not know my name.

The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name.
Revelation 3:12

Oh, Father! I fear that I have frequently fallen into this trap of sitting on the fence to see which way looked better. The problem is, I’ve read the book. I know how it ends. I KNOW which way is better! Please give me the power, by your Spirit, to dig deep down and give complete assent to my identity in you. Show me who I am, Father! Let me know my name, that I might answer you when you call. Brennan’s words are tragic, as they apply to many in the world of Christianity. We seem stuck on the proverbial fence. And that ought not be. Give us the presence of your Spirit, that we might commit to you, wholeheartedly, and live our lives in the fullness of your Spirit.

I pray for this day, that we might have safe travel to and from work. It’s threatening to rain again, so keep us safe in the traffic. May our work day go smoothly. Give Stephanie your overwhelming love today. I pray for your blessings on the rest of our family, as well, those whom we don’t see every day. Show your love to them, as well.

Your grace is sufficient.

Hey, all you “desperadoes!” Come down from your fences and “let Somebody love you.” 🙂

Grace and peace, friends.

Be Doers of the Word

Good morning. It is pre-Friday, September 11, 2014. Only ten more days of summer.

Today is No News Is Good News Day. As I don’t follow much “news” any more (mainly because what mainstream media offers is seldom truly “news”), I think it’s not a bad idea to have No News Is Good News Day. “Believe it or not, the world keeps turning even if you aren’t plugged into every crisis, disaster, scandal, and tragedy. A day can be fulfilling without being crammed full of tidbits of celebrity trivia or the daily misdeeds of the great and not-so-good.” Couldn’t have said it better!

Yesterday was like a roller coaster ride for me. There were some times that I felt okay, and some times that I wanted to just find a bed and crawl into it. I never felt “great.” However, I think I’m even better this morning. I made it through the work day, had dinner last night, and my stomach feels okay this morning. I’ve started taking my furosemide again, to try to reduce the swelling that the cellulitis has brought on. I had a prescription of that, which the doctor told me to take “when I need it.” I sincerely believe today will be better.

Not much else going on. Christi still loves her new job. And she ran across someone who has been friends with Juan Pierre since he was ten years old. Juan Pierre is a baseball player, 37 years old, who is the current active leader in stolen bases in MLB, with 614. Bowling and baseball. Who’da thunk it?

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20

(From The Divine Hours)

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psalm 51:15
Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy.
Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
Psalm 86:1-2
Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations.
Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world,
from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Psalm 90:1-2
Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.
Psalm 85:9

The Concluding Prayer of the Church
Lord God, almighty and everlasting Father, you have brought me in safety to this new day:
Preserve me with your mighty power, that I may not fall into sin, nor be overcome by adversity;
and in all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose; through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

Today’s Gospel Reading

“. . . and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
Matthew 6:12

This is a tough one, and will be spoken of later after Jesus finishes the prayer. Basically, the idea is that we forgive others in response to God’s forgiveness of our sins. If we refuse to forgive others, then we cannot claim God’s forgiveness. Plain and simple.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Being, Not Doing.”

“Substituting theoretical concepts for acts of love keeps life at a safe distance.” This, of course, is the dark side of putting being over doing. After all, didn’t Jesus accuse the Pharisees of this very thing?

“The Christian commitment is not an abstraction. it is a concrete, visible, courageous, and formidable way of being in the world, forged by daily choices consistent with inner truth.” If my commitment to Jesus Christ is not visible in “humble service, suffering discipleship, and creative love” is nothing but smoke and mirrors. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. (Matthew 7:26) We cannot afford to overlook these words of our “Great Rabbi.”

“The one who talks, especially if he talks to God, can affect a great deal, but the one who acts really means business and has more claims on our attention.” Remember the words of James, the brother of Christ: What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. (James 2:14-17)

that the LORD may . . . show you mercy and have compassion on you and multiply you,
as he swore to your fathers, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping all his
commandments that I am commanding you today,
and doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God.
Deuteronomy 13:17-18

Father, I pray that you help me to become a better “doer.” I’m pretty good, I think, at “being.” And I’m not horrible at doing, but I need to be better. I talk a lot, and, fortunately, a great deal of that talking is to you, as this is the “ministry” that you have given me over the past few years. But there still lacks a good bit of doing. There are things that I could point to and boast about. “See I did that! And that!” But I will not boast in anything that I have done, for I have nothing that is worthy of boasting. I can only boast in Christ, who has saved me and the fact that you chose me to be one of yours, due to nothing of any good in me. Therefore, I will depend upon your Spirit to help me to “do,” thereby making my works consistent with my faith. Teach me your way, that I may walk in your truth. Help me to forgive my “enemies,” and in doing so, indicate that I am, myself forgiven.

I pray for this day, that we might have safe passage to and from work. It may be raining outside, at least threatening to do so. Keep us safe in the traffic. I pray that our work day will go smoothly today. I pray that you might bring me a job closer to home. I also pray that Stephanie will be drawn closer to your heart and know your great love for her. Also please give her comfort, as she is experiencing cramps at the moment.

I pray for our friend Kate, who seems to have a stomach virus and can’t keep anything down. Please place your healing hand of mercy on her and rid her of this virus.

Your grace is sufficient.

Let us be doers and not just hears. May we be faithful in doing, not just being. Yes, it is true, we must be. But our doing must match up with our being.

Grace and peace, friends.

“Behold, I Am Making All Things New”

Good morning. It is Wednesday, September 10, 2014. I’m up and getting ready to go to work today. Not quite 100%, but feeling much better.

Today is Swap Ideas Day. I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.

Once again, there is pretty much nothing to say about yesterday, other than the fact that I am steadily feeling better. I felt pretty good during the late morning and afternoon yesterday, but, as seems to be my custom, began feeling slightly worse by bedtime. Not sure why that is, but it always seems to be the case. Anyway, I’m better this morning, so I’m going to give it a go.

No plans for this evening, as far as I know.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge—
no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent.
Psalm 91:9-10

(From The Divine Hours)

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.
The Doxology

Send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God, to God my exceeding joy, and I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God.
Psalm 43:3-4
For a day in your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere.
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness.
Psalm 84:10
The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.
Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?
He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.
Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah.
Psalm 24:1-6
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone.
Isaiah 9:2

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29
Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;
James 1:19
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18

From this morning’s Daily Guideposts: “One of the big challenges for people of faith is answering too fast and loving too slow.”

Perhaps we should all mull that over for a little while.

Today’s Gospel Reading

“Give us this day our daily bread,”
Matthew 6:11

There seems to be a possibility that this could be translated “our bread for tomorrow.” Apparently, the word translated “daily” is only found in this verse. “It has been understood to mean ‘daily,’ ‘necessary,’ ‘future,’ or ‘tomorrow’s.'” (Reformation Study Bible notes) Regardless of how the word is translated, it is simply a prayer for God to provide for our physical needs, as we need them. But note that we are asking for “bread,” not, say, lobster or filet mignon. We ask for what is necessary, not what is superfluous. God is our provider, not our “sugar daddy.” We also ask for our bread, not someone else’s bread. We are also asking in community, so we pray for God to provide everyone’s bread. Part of my prayers every Thursday is to pray for the Church around the world. I always pray for God to supply his children’s needs. We are community, and we should pray as such. And, as we pray this each day, we renew our devotion and focus each day.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Right Relationship.”

“The promised peace that the world cannot give is located in being in right relationship with God. Self-acceptance becomes possible only through the radical trust in Jesus’ acceptance of me as I am.”

Within each of us there is a Pharisee and an impostor. Within the embrace of Jesus, these “evil impulses are converted and transformed into good.” The lust of the sinful woman Luke wrote about was “transformed into a passion for intimacy with Jesus.” Our obsession with money can be changed to a desire for that treasure in the field of which Jesus spoke. “Our inner murderer becomes capable of murdering homophobia, bigotry, and prejudice.” Our hatred and vindictiveness can be transformed into “intolerance and rage at the caricature of God as a petty accountant.” And our saccharin-like niceness can be changed to “heartfelt compassion for those who have lost their way.”

In Revelation 21:5, Jesus says, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Maybe, just maybe, this is suddenly a bit more clear.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Proverbs 3:5

Father, I pray, first of all, that you would continue to be faithful to provide our daily needs. You have been very faithful with our family, and we are so grateful for that. I pray, that you would continue to work in my spirit to make “all things new.” There is so much bigotry and prejudice that you have eliminated in my life over the past few decades, Father! I am such a different person than I was then, and I praise you for this! But there is so much more to change. I love this reading, Lord. Make all things new in my life. Don’t ever stop.

I pray for the community of the Church, as well, that we would all be made completely new. I know that, someday, all things will be new and perfect, but until then, I pray that the truths and realities of your Kingdom would come to this earth. Your Kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven!

I pray for this day. May we have safe travel to and from work. May our work day be smooth today, and may Christi’s job continue to go as great as it has been. I pray that I would continue to feel better, and that working in the warm warehouse all day would not beat me down. I pray for Stephanie, that she would know your great love for her today. Bring healing to her mind, Father.

Your grace is sufficient. I thank you that I am feeling better today.

He is making us all new, even as we read and write these things. Open up your spirit to him. Let him make you new.

Grace and peace, friends.

Obsessions

Good morning. It is Tuesday, September 9, 2014. I am staying home from work one more day. This is the first time in several decades that I have missed two work days in a row from being ill. However, I think I may have “turned a corner” over night.

Today is Teddy Bear Day. Who couldn’t use a nice teddy bear, right? I say you’re never too old.

Not a whole lot to say about yesterday. I rested, watched a movie on Netflix, napped, read a little bit, then went to bed early. This morning, I believe I am feeling a great deal better. My leg is still pretty red, but I think it’s not quite as hot, and the rest of me feels better, as well.

We don’t have our weekly Huddle meeting tonight, as the leader got an unexpected invitation for dinner with some friends he has not seen in a long time.

(Source: This Day In History)

On this date in 1965, Sandy Koufax pitched the eighth perfect game in MLB history, as the Dodgers blanked the Cubs 1-0. “His fastballs, which seemed to rise as they reached the plate, whizzed past batters. His curveball was typically devastating, buckling batters at the knees, almost always crossing the plate as a strike after following its parabolic path. As he closed in on a perfect game, Koufax faced the middle of the Cubs order. He struck out Ron Santo and Ernie Banks in the eighth before striking out the side in the ninth to secure his first perfect game.” Koufax would retire after the 1966 season, only 30 years old, citing arthritis in his elbow.

Today’s birthdays include Michael Buble, Hugh Grant, Colonel Harland Sanders, Eric Stonestreet, Tom Wopat, Otis Redding, Angela Cartwright, Haley Reinhart, Cliff Robertson, Henry Thomas, Will Middlebrooks, Joe Theismann, Girolamo Frescobaldi, William Bligh, Leo Tolstoy, Arthur Freed, Neil Hamilton, Phyllis Whitney, Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, Sylvia Miles, Doug Ingle, Freddy Weller, and Jeffrey Combs.

Jeffrey Combs is an actor, born on this date in 1954. He is best-known for his roles in horror movies, especially movies that were made from H.P. Lovecraft stories. I’ve decided not to post any clips of the movies, here, as all the ones I could find are a bit gruesome. If you want to see them, he was in Re-Animator and From Beyond, among others.

Doug Ingle is one of the founding members of Iron Butterfly, a rock band from the sixties era. Here is their most famous song, In-a-Gadda-da-Vida.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.

(From The Divine Hours)

O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
Psalm 51:15
Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.
Psalm 119:18
I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,
and I will glorify your name forever.
Psalm 86:12
For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?
Psalm 18:31
How great are your works, O LORD! Your thoughts are very deep!
The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this:
that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever;
but you, O LORD, are on high forever.
Psalm 92:5-8

O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon me.
O Lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world, grant me your peace.

Today’s Gospel Reading

Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Matthew 6:10

Yesterday, I focused on Jesus’s initial teachings on prayer, along with the first line of “The Model Prayer.” Today, I’m looking at the second line, in verse 10. This seems to be a rather simple prayer, doesn’t it? But, the fact is, when we race through this prayer, as I often do, without thinking about the words we are saying (vain repetitions??), we miss something really important. John the Baptist began his ministry by preaching that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand. Jesus continued that message when he took over the mantle from John. If we hear these words, “the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” ought we not pray, “Your Kingdom come?” We believe that part of our mission on this earth is to help usher in, or bring about, that Kingdom. Therefore, to pray “Your Kingdom come” is to ask God to help us in our mission and to bring about his Kingdom on earth.

The second half of this petition is, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” This is a prayer that cannot fail. But I think there is more to it. When we ask for God’s will to be done, we are superseding our own will. We imitate that prayer that Christ would pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, “Not my will, but yours be done.” So when I ask for God’s will to be done, I am stating preference over my own will. There is even more. I believe that it is God’s will for all sickness to be healed in heaven. The Bible tells us this, that there will be no sickness in that place. So if I am praying for someone, for example, my father, who has Inclusion Body Myositis, to be healed, I ask God for his will to be done on earth, as it is in heaven. I am asking him to do on earth what will be done, eventually, in heaven. Of course, we must also be accepting of the fact that this may not, in fact, be God’s will on earth. That is why this prayer for God’s will to be done is also one that puts aside our own will.

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “A Weighty Matter.”

“I suspect I am not alone here. The narcissistic obsession with weight watching in North America is a formidable ploy of the impostor.” So we know that there are valid health factors involved in being overweight. I, personally, am currently suffering from cellulitis, and the root cause of it is that I am obese. Nevertheless, “the amount of time and energy devoted to acquiring and maintaining a slender figure is staggering.” We get professional guidance, we buy books and magazines, we pay for gym memberships (but do we actually go to said gym?), and we fall for some of the most ridiculous fad diets imaginable (coughcoughAtkinsdietcoughcough). Everything is planned out. “No snack is unforeseen, no nibble spontaneous, no calorie uncharted, no strawberry left uncounted.” Brennan then paraphrases Cardinal Wolsey and says, “Would that I had served my God the way I have watched my waistline.”

What is much more important than our waistlines and weight is this verse from 1 Thessalonians:

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely,
and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless
at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Thessalonians 5:23

Father, I know I am overweight, and I know that it is bad for my health. I am living proof of that over these last couple of days. I also know that my spiritual health is infinitely more important than my physical health. I have not spent a lot of time focusing on weight loss this year. A couple of years ago, I lost 80 pounds. I have gained some of that back. Not nearly all of it, though. The point is, Brennan has hit the proverbial nail on the head, as it were. There is a strong move, even among Christian circles, to focus obsessively on weight loss and physical health. There have been books galore written that claim to have found “biblical” diet plans that will save the day! Ought we not focus more on our prayer lives, though? Father, I pray that your people would get priorities straight, and only “obsess” about things that are worthy of obsession. I believe, with all my heart, that, no matter my state of health, you still have work for me to do in your Kingdom. Therefore, I am still alive to do it. I do not believe that it is possible for me to die before you are finished with me! Not everyone holds this strong a view of your sovereignty, but I do. But I will still pray that you would help me be a bit more responsible, and a better steward of what you have given me to go through this life. I pray more diligently that my spiritual condition would continue to improve, and that I would draw closer and closer to you and Christ as time goes by, and that my prayer life would increase dramatically. Let me call upon your name, Lord, daily, and may I “pray without ceasing.”

I pray for this day, that Christi is having another good work day. I pray that her trip home this evening will be safe. I pray that Stephanie will know your overwhelming, neverending love for her. I pray that my cellulitis would be healed, that I might go back to work tomorrow. I also pray that Jacob will have a great visit with his friends tonight.

I really enjoyed Brennan’s reading today. I think he is right, but I also think that there are many other topics, besides weight loss, that we North Americans obsess over, to the detriment of our spiritual lives. Let’s focus on what is important, not on what is not.

Grace and peace, friends.

Francis of Assisi and Prayer

Good morning. It is Monday, September 8, 2014. I’m staying home from work today, due to the cellulitis that developed in my leg over the weekend. Hopefully, I will feel better by tomorrow. Prayers would be appreciated, of course.

Today is Literacy Day. Judging from posts on Facebook, literacy is falling at a terrifying rate in our culture.

I spent most of yesterday resting, after Christi and I went out earlier to deal with my cellulitis. We picked up some breakfast on the way home, then she went and did the things her mother needed while I finished yesterday’s blog. Then we watched Dallas Buyers Club, which is a tough movie. Matthew McConaughey plays a straight guy who contracts the HIV virus, set back in the mid-eighties. The stigma that has to endure from that is heartbreaking, even though, as the movie begins, he is a pretty awful person, himself, and extremely homophobic. He grows in some areas, and not so much in others as the movie progresses. Basically the message of this movie, based on a true story, is how the FDA and other powers-that-be, squelched the introduction of treatments that were proven to work, and insisted on AZT being the primary treatment, which was shown to be, essentially toxic. The movie is not for the faint of heart or easily offended.

While Christi was preparing our dinner of steak and baked potatoes (delicious, once again!), I started watching Oculus, (WARNING! SPOILER AHEAD!) a movie about a haunted mirror. Haunted . . . possessed . . . not sure which word describes it better. It was well done, and the ending was chilling. You know, we always assume the good guys are going to win.

As the evening progressed, I started feeling worse, which is why I chose to stay home today. It makes me sad, because I haven’t missed a day at work, other than vacation days, in well over a year.

(Source: Christian History Institute)

On this date in 1947,

C.S. Lewis appeared on the cover of Time magazine.

People with a September 8 birthday include Alecia Beth Moore Hart (we know her as “Pink”), Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Patsy Cline, David Arquette, Sid Caesar, Peter Sellers, Neko Case, Antonin Dvorak, Guitar Shorty, Aimee Mann, Jimmie Rodgers, Darlene Zschech, King Richard the Lion Hearted, and Peter Furler.

Antonin Dvorak was a Czech composer, born on this date in 1841 in Nelahozeves. He died in Prague, in 1094. He is probably most well known for his “New World Symphony,” which is actually “Symphony No. 9 ‘From the New World.'” And here it is, conducted by the great Herbert von Karajan.

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

(From The Divine Hours)

Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting!
And let all the people say, “Amen!” Praise the LORD!
Psalm 106:48
Turn to me and be gracious to me;
give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant.
Psalm 86:16
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
Psalm 138:8
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!
Psalm 111:10
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.
Psalm 51:10-13

Today’s Gospel Reading

“And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Pray then like this:
‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.’
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
Matthew 6:5-15

This is a lengthy passage, which I will revisit over the next several days. What Jesus has done is, he has moved from comparisons of the Law to how his disciples should practice various disciplines of the life. First it was giving alms, or helping the needy. Now it is prayer. This has been a sticky subject for many years. As I grew up Baptist, there was always a point in the Sunday morning service where someone in the congregation was asked to pray. This person would, inevitably, put on their prayer voice, use big words, and pray much longer than necessary. Most of the time, the pastor would do that, as well, when he prayed. Public prayers–who are they really for? I have never gone so far as to say that praying in public is wrong, but we must be careful how we pray in public, because there is a great danger of praying to impress people around us with our spiritual acumen. A prayer like that is worthless. I’m not sure God actually hears a prayer that is designed to impress people around us. In fact, once again, Jesus says that these have already received their reward. He recommends going into a secret place to pray, “and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” That’s the same way he ended the segment on helping the needy, too.

The next section contains what we called for many years, “The Lord’s Prayer.” I have moved away from calling it that, opting to use that phrase for Jesus’s “high priestly” prayer in John 17. I like to call this “The Model Prayer.” After all, it is possible that Jesus is not actually praying, but simply giving a model. We don’t know for sure. But it begins with a simple plea that God’s name be “hallowed.” What does that mean? It means “to make holy” or “consecrate.” It is also, I believe, important to note that Jesus says, “Our Father.” This indicates that we are not simply praying alone, or just for ourselves, but that we pray in community. Also note that Jesus nowhere instructs us to pray to saints or angels. Only to our Father.

According to Matthew Henry, the word “hallowed” is the same word that is translated as “sanctified” in other places. This is not necessarily to be taken as a petition, but an act of adoration. So, we see, in Jesus’s model, that we should begin our prayers by giving glory and praise to God. We are also seeking the glorification of God in the petitions that follow. ” . . . all our other requests must be in subordination to this, and in pursuance of it. ‘Father, glorify thyself in giving me my daily bread and pardoning my sins, etc.'” (Matthew Henry)

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “A Soul of Prayer.”

When asked why he had such a deep devotion to Francis of Assisi, theologian Romano Guardini replied, “Because he allowed Jesus Christ to become transparent in his personality.” The reason that Francis was able to affect “a religious revolution throughout thirteenth century Europe” was that “he was a mirror of Christ, one of the most perfect replicas of Jesus that the world has ever seen.” One of the key aspects of this life was prayer. In the Umbrian hills, there are numerous “hermitages and cavelike retreats where Francis passed weeks and often months in prayer.” Our Father most definitely had priority in the time, interest, love, and attention of Francis of Assisi.

“O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart;”
1 Kings 8:23

Father, my mind boggles at the thought of spending weeks or months in prayer! I frequently struggle just to spend a few minutes praying to you. What an example we have in Francis of Assisi! But as Brennan noted, he was only a mirror of our Savior, who is our greatest example. May I find more inspiration in the lives of those who have gone before me who have mirrored our Savior in their lives. I desire to be more like Jesus in every way, but my flesh wars against my spirit. I pray for strength to keep up the battle, and to make you my priority. I desire to “walk before you with all [my] heart.”

I pray for this day, Lord. I ask for healing in my leg, that the cellulitis may dissipate and that I can return to work tomorrow. I pray for Christi’s day, that her job will continue to be great, and that she will continue to build positive relationships at her work. Give her safe travel home this evening. May you draw Stephanie into your everlasting love.

May we heed the words of Jesus regarding prayer, and look at the example of people like Francis of Assisi. God needs to be our priority.

Grace and peace, friends.

Centering Down

Good morning. It is Sunday, September 7, 2014. 14 more days of summer.

Today is Salami Day. Grab yourself some salami and have a feast!

Well, I seem to have developed another case of cellulitis in my left leg. I have, however, procured some antibiotics to take for it, so it will hopefully be better in a couple of days. I knew something was going on yesterday, but tried to think that it was not cellulitis again. It has been a long time since I have had that.

Yesterday was an okay day, but since I wasn’t feeling well, it didn’t seem like a good day. I was struggling to stay alert during the message at last night’s worship service, but it was a pretty good message, contrasting the different reactions of the “rich young ruler” and Zacchaeus, upon their individual encounters with Jesus. It was the foundational message in a series called “Treasure: Finding the Gospel in our Finances.” The PAT meeting after church went well, but drug on a little longer than I would have liked, as I did not get anything to eat at Rosa’s. I didn’t feel my stomach could handle spicy Mexican food, so I waited until I got home and had a can of tuna.

Christi needs to go back out and get some stuff for her mother that, for some reason, didn’t make it on their list yesterday. Other than that, we are pretty much spontaneous today. We rented Dallas Buyers Club at Redbox, so we will watch that after I finish here. Then while Christi is out, I plan to watch Oculus, which I also rented from Redbox.

It is now a month and five days until our 29th anniversary, and a weekend in Glen Rose. I can hardly wait.

(Source: Christian History Institute)

On this date in 1785, William Fox headed a meeting at Paul’s Head Tavern in London that resulted in the formation of the first Sunday School Society for Britain. The purpose of the Society was “to prevent vice; to encourage industry and virtue; to dispel darkness and ignorance; to diffuse the light of knowledge; to bring men cheerfully to submit to their stations; to obey the laws of God and their country; to make that useful part of the community, the country poor, happy; to lead them in the pleasant paths of religion here, and to endeavor to prepare them for a glorious eternity.”

Today’s birthdays include Buddy Holly, Elizabeth Queen of England I, Corbin Bernsen, Evan Rachel Wood, Gloria Gaynor, Shannon Elizabeth, Toby Jones, Chrissie Hynde, Julie Kavner, Grandma Moses, Anthony Quayle, Harry Sinclair Lewis, Ed Warren, and Susan Blakely.

Buddy Holly was an American singer/songwriter who had a backup band known as The Crickets. He was born on this date in 1936, and died in 1959, in the famous plane crash that also took Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson. Here is his song, “Oh, Boy.”

And just for kicks, here is a great video made for Don McLean’s “American Pie.”

TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL

Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth;
unite my heart to fear your name.
Psalm 86:11

(From The Divine Hours)

Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous,
and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!
Psalm 32:11
May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, Selah.
Psalm 67:1
Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.
Psalm 50:2
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

The Prayer Appointed for the Week
Grant me, O Lord, to trust in you with all my heart; for, as you always resist the proud
who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of
your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Today’s Gospel Reading

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Matthew 6:1-4

As I begin Matthew 6 (still part of the Sermon on the Mount), Jesus speaks of how we should treat our gifts to the poor. His disciples are instructed to give to charity quietly, without calling attention to themselves. This doesn’t mean all charitable giving should be anonymous. Sometimes, that is impossible. What it does mean, though, is that we don’t do it “before other people.” In addition, it is wrong for church leadership to point out people who have contributed to the ministries of the church, or given sacrificially to help someone else out. We are to “sound no trumpet,” so that we are not praised by others. Jesus warns us that if we call attention to our gift, then the praise of men will be our full reward for the act. We give in secret, so that “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

I once knew a man who took this so literally that he wouldn’t even declare his offerings to the church on his taxes each year. I don’t carry it that far. After all, Jesus also said, “Render unto Caesar,” and so on. 🙂

Today’s reading in Reflections for Ragamuffins is “Secret Places of the Heart.”

“Living for God finds its foremost expression in prayer. The heart of discipleship lies in commitment and worship, not reflection and theory.” The Spirit that Jesus has given us gives us a way to “live on the surface and out of the depths at the same time.” So we can do our daily, mundane tasks, make plans, have conversations, and be completely cognizant of the day’s demands on us. At the same time, as we live deeply within, “we can be in prayer adoration, thanksgiving, and attentiveness to the Spirit.” Does this sound like something that is just wishful thinking? I can certainly see how we would think that. But I have, albeit not so frequently, experienced this and know that it is possible. It is what I strive for on a daily basis.

Our daily lives have a tendency to be filled with cacophony. But those “secret places of the heart” give us a sort of “sanctuary of praise” in the midst of all that noise. There is a phrase that is used by many who meditate, called “centering down.” This can consist of “a quiet, persistent turning to God while driving, cooking, conversing, writing, and so on.” It can, with practice, become a habit. Brother Lawrence referred to it as “the practice of the presence of God.”

O you who hear prayer,
to you shall all flesh come.
Psalm 65:2

Father, help me to “center down” daily. I already have developed a habit of praying during my morning drive to work. And after I am finished praying, I try to spend the remainder of the drive in silence. I’m not always successful, as you know. But that time should be spent turning my thoughts to you in preparation for the work day ahead. It would be impossible to spend too much time in this practice. Help me to do it throughout the work day, as well as throughout the rest days. I should always be centering down to turn my thoughts toward you. Help me to “live on the surface and out of the depths at the same time.” My heart’s desire is to always be living in the Spirit, even while I am doing the most mundane things.

I pray for this day. I pray for Christi’s safety and sanity as she does more things for her mother, who frequently shows no gratitude whatsoever. I pray that Christi is building up treasure in heaven by these selfless acts. I pray for my cellulitis to be well. I thank you for the prayers of the saints. I pray for the rest of our day, that we might have good rest and relaxation, in preparation for the week of work ahead. Let us work from our rest as we practice the rhythm of life in Christ.

This book has been one of the best devotions I have ever read. I am so grateful for Brennan and his insights during this year. As I work through this next week, I hope to concentrate on living “on the surface and out of the depths at the same time.”

Grace and peace, friends.