AUTUMN SAINTS

Helping God Out

2012-01-25T07:18:00.000-08:00

Genesis 16:1-14
1 Samuel 6-8
Patience is one of the hardest of Christian virtues to obtain, especially in a society that applauds instant gratification. We wait for nothing. Drivers behind lay on their horns and rev up their motors while the light is still red. People inch forward bumping others in hopes of making the line move faster. We can no longer wait for snail mail and those who don’t answer our emails instantly make it to our out-of-favor list. Impatience is nothing new although it may be more prevalent.

Abraham had been given a wonderful promise. God would give him a son that would lead to generations of children as numerous as the stars in the sky. Abraham and Sarah waited. And waited. And waited. When Abraham reached the age of 86, Sarah decided to help him out by offering her slave as a substitute for herself, so that Abraham could have his son. People of this day believed that life came from the man and that the woman was merely an incubator for his seed. There was no idea that Hagar would be giving her genetic code into the creation of a son. She would simply be the receptacle. When the child was born it would become the child of Abraham and Sarah, much like the surrogate mothers of today. Their impatience caused no end of trouble that extends into modern times in the Mid-East. For the immediate Sarah and Hagar were at each other’s throats causing an enormous amount of trouble for Abraham. In their desire to “help God out” they had brought stress and hostility into their family.

Abraham and Sarah are not the only ones who have attempted to help God out. Saul was the new king of Israel. Samuel had anointed him as God’s chosen king for the people given at their request. At first Saul had amazing success as he set about to fulfill God’s plan of a united kingdom of Israel. He and Samuel worked together with Samuel presenting the offerings and prayers to God while Saul conducted the military operations. As the battle with the Phillistines was approaching, Saul was told to wait seven days for Samuel to arrive to give the sacrifice, prayers, and blessing. But Samuel was late. Meantime the soldiers were defecting and as each day went by, the numbers of the Israelites were diminishing. The Phillistines were an intimidating force. They had forged weapons and awesome power on their side. Saul saw victory sliding away and so to help God out he proceeded to make the sacrifice himself. As soon as he finished Samuel arrived. But, because of his impatience, Saul began a decline that led to outright disobedience. God withdrew his support from Saul as king of Israel. Saul declined into jealosy, rage and madness.

Many times we set deadlines and since God has not acted, we determine that it is up to us to make the decision and proceed. We took the job offered, married the person at hand, or moved to that logical place. We have no idea what might have happened if we had made God our priority rather than the deadline we had set. Maybe there were consequences to our helping God out, or maybe we just missed out on the best God had to offer. We thought perhaps, that we couldn’t wait. We had to act fast, or lose the available offering.

God has promised to lead and guide but he has not promised to do it according to our time table. Often times he does things at the last improbable moment. Just as we think that he has failed to hear our plea, or perhaps he has forgotten us or just doesn’t care, God acts and does something so amazing that only he could be its orchestrator. God does his work in the fullness of his time. Our responsibility and privilege is to wait for it, to anticipate it, to applaud it, to give him praise. He doesn’t need our help, he needs our patience and obedience. He will act for our best in the fullness of time. Amen

IF

2012-01-12T06:44:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 3:1-11

We casually discuss the unconditional love of God. Contemporary Christian music often sings that no matter what we do God loves us. This is true. Paul states that nothing can separate us from the love of God. Being loved by God is a constant, but it is not the whole of the story. The other part of the story is our response to that love. Jesus is commended in that he was faithful to the one who appointed him. He fulfilled the will of God for him. Moses is also listed as being a faithful servant in the house of God and Jesus was faithful as a son over God’s house. God is the builder of everything. He is the builder of our lives (our houses) IF we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast. He goes on to quote the psalm that we quoted yesterday “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” This building is a process that continues over the long haul. It is possible to become diverted, discouraged, or lazy and lose the ability to hear the voice of God, leaving the house unfinished or in disrepair. There is a call in this passage to remain committed, passionate, and involved in the building of our lives under the direction of the Master Builder. It is recognized that this will take courage and hope. There may be opposition. We may find ourselves having to be counter-cultural and it may cost us something (or everything). We may not experience immediate rewards and our hope will have to be in things unseen. But IF we hang on our building will be completed and our lives will bring glory to God.

This passage goes on to remind us that God’s patience is limited. We are reminded that God was angry with a rebellious generation that tested and tried God because their hearts were going astray. It is vital that we not let that happen to us. “See to it that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.” It reminds us that sin is deceitful and subtle. There are few of us who dive off the deep end into sin. Instead we take little steps closer and closer to danger until we are hooked! A little look at that questionable web page to see what it’s all about; A few drinks to be sociable; an innocent lunch with the a married co-worker; a day or two without prayer or scripture; just a little passing of gossip; those idols of passionate pastimes. Hebrews says to watch out. Be diligent! Pay attention to what is going on in your life. Be aware of your motives. Look at the direction you are traveling. Don’t be fooled. And IF we hold on in confidence to the relationship we had with Christ at the beginning then we will be His “house.”

The writer continues in 4:11-12. “We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.” Peter tells us to make sure our election. Today if you hear his voice do not harden your hearts. Pay attention, today matters.

Is God Good?

2012-01-12T06:41:00.000-08:00

Genesis 3

The evil one has several tried and tested means of encouraging a believer to veer from the path of God’s will. The first one brought to our attention is that he invites us to doubt the goodness of God. He implies that by setting limits God is in reality keeping us from something profitable, pleasurable, or mind-expanding. Satan told Eve that God was lying to her to keep her from a wisdom that would make her like God, himself.

This subtle indictment regarding God is present today as well. In our country we value independence and our right to make our own choices. In our pride of individuality we assume that there are no limits, rules, or guidelines that are applicable to all. So, when Scripture lays down its commandments we often tell ourselves that they may be right for some people but we are different and these rules do not apply to us. We hold on to the privilege to determine for ourselves what works for us. Many see God as an entity (if he exists at all ) who is trying to curb their potential, stomp on their fun, and force them into a mold that is stifling. He is a spoiler. This is exactly what the serpent told Eve. God is keeping something good from you therefore he cannot be good himself. And like he did with Eve, he encourages us to take matters into our own hands. Go ahead! Take what you want. You know better than God.

The answer to the question “Is God good?” lies in the way in which God responded to this rebellion. Yes, there were consequences as a result of this prideful grasp of power. God reigned things in, designed things with a little less freedom and ease, constructed ways that would keep humans close to him for our ultimate good. But the key to me is that while Adam and Eve attempted to clothe their nakedness with fragile fig leaves, God gave them a more durable covering. Even in their rebellion he cared for them. AND, he remained in communication with them. He designed a way for their restoration.

In today’s world choices made contrary to the commands and will of God have dire consequences. It has never been God’s desire to limit our potential, only to direct it toward love and goodness for his glory. When we “color outside the lines” we often end up creating confusion, unrest, disruption, or chaos for ourselves and others. We are seldom better off. And never for long the long haul. Are we better off because we kill, commit sexual sins, lie and cheat, envy, and covet the abundance of things? Are we better off with our idols than with a living, compassionate, and holy God? Coloring within God’s lines leaves plenty of room for choice and creativity, but it hems us in with guidelines that protect us from evil. These lines keep us from expending our energies in unfulfilling ways.

The goodness of God is shown very clearly when we ignore the lines and color outside them. He comes after us. He is the shepherd who seeks the sheep. He is the Father that looks down the road and runs to meet the prodigal son. He is the Son who weeps over Jerusalem’s refusal to be gathered in. He covers our nakedness with forgiveness and gives abundant new life. He comes to live with us in our humanity. He teaches us and guides us in the way we are to go. He never gives up on us even when we give up on ourselves. He even died to save us! Oh Yes! God is good!

Creator and Creation

2012-01-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

Genesis 2; John 1:1-18; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm 145

There are those who believe that the world that is just happened perhaps as a result of a big bang. I never found that satisfactory. There are others who are willing to believe that God created, but that since then he has left it all up to us. They see Him as a disinterested creator. He set the world in motion and then moved on to other things, sort of like winding a clock and leaving it to wind down.

The Scriptures for today paint a very different picture. Their picture of the creator is of one who is startlingly alive and prolific, a God who loves variety and beauty of all kinds. We see a God who makes all these wonderful animals and then realizes that none of them is an adequate partner for Adam. Realizing this he creates a woman who will be a perfect compliment to him. Within his creation scheme he creates humankind to care for all the other things he has created. Humanity is given the dignity of work. You get the sense of glorious beauty, wonderful abundance and flourishing life. All is good!

Christian scripture is very careful to stress that the God who began all this continues to be involved even to the extent of becoming one of us. Psalm 145 stresses that God is good and that he has compassion on all that he has created, in fact he loves it! He has never abandoned it, nor neglected it. He remains involved. It is still his plan to have an extravagantly beautiful world where people live and grow. He still wants to walk and talk with his creation. He desires a loving involvement with all that he has created.

We learn through these scriptures that God did all of this through the Son. Jesus was there at the beginning and it is through him that we move and live and have our being. Knowing this makes it all the more remarkable that he took on bodily form and came to live with us. In a children’s sermon that I gave several years ago I likened it to one of us becoming an ant. Ants are remarkable creatures as anyone with an ant farm will attest. Ants are divided into colonies with different ants taking on different roles—even that of nursery caretaker. The children told me what they had learned about ants and the discussion was lively and appreciative of ants. But when I asked who would like to be an ant, there was dead silence. When asked why not, the children immediately gave all the things they would miss by becoming ants. While ants were amazing they were definitely a lower being and no one wanted to exchange their human life to become an ant. How could God love us so much that he willingly exchanged his heavenly life (Phil. 2:6-11) for the confinements of being human? This is not a God who is indifferent to his creation. This is a God who loves beyond measure. This is not a God who said “I’ve done my part, now work it out for yourselves!” This is a God who says “I know you in and out and I am here to be the very breath you breathe. I will be the spirit within to comfort, teach, admonish, love and tenderly nurture your growth. I will complete what I have begun. You will be my people and I will be your God and we will live together in a world that I have prepared for you from the beginning.” It boggles the mind!

Taste and See

2012-01-02T06:11:00.000-08:00

1 Kings 19:1-8
Psalm 145
John 6:1-14

Elijah was the mightiest of prophets. It was to Elijah that John the Baptist was compared. It was Elijah that appeared with Moses at the Mount of Transfiguration. It was Elijah who prayed rain down by the barrel to show that God was the only true God. But, it is also Elijah that we see running from Queen Jezebel, terrified for his life. He leaves his servant behind as he goes into the desert. He tells God that he has had enough. He’s done for. He might as well be like his ancestors who are all dead. He’s got nothing left to give. He’s burned out.

Now you and I could think of all kinds of motivational speeches to get him back on his feet, most of them not very kind. We would remind him of all that God had done through him and ask how he could possibly find himself in this condition. What was wrong with him? Pluck up! Get going. How could he be afraid of a little thing like a murderous queen? Thankfully God is not like one of us. Elijah vents his distress and falls into an exhausted sleep. When he awakes, an angel has prepared warm bread and cool water for him. Elijah eats and falls asleep, rises to eat another meal prepared for him and is finally revitalized enough to move ahead on his long 40-day journey to meet God at Mount Horeb. Elijah started out running from something. At the end of our reading he is running toward Someone. So what has happened to change him from a cringing, fearful, old wreck of a burnout into someone with a purpose willing to face a long journey? Elijah has been ministered to by a loving and compassionate God. He has been given time and space and physical support in the form of warm food and cool water. He has been allowed to rest and regroup. He gets prepared for a meeting with God.

Our God longs to feed us. Jesus demonstrates this by feeding the five thousand. He teaches us to ask the Father for our daily bread. He longs for us to rest. Jesus says “come unto me all you that are weary and heavy laden.” We miscast God if we see him as an unrelenting taskmaster. We malign his character if we see him beating the down trodden to greater effort. Psalm 34:8 says “O taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 145:14 says “The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down . . .He gives them their food. . . he is loving toward all that he has made.”

Are you feeling a little browbeaten by the obligations, excesses and festivities of the holiday season? Feeling a little burned out? Suffering compassion fatigue? Running from all the “murderous queen Jezebels” that lay in wait in this New Year 2012? Spend a little time in the “desert.” Let God know how you feel. Rest. Eat moderately of what God has given you. Give yourself time to regroup and restore. In the fullness of time you will be fit to journey again. You will find that you are running toward instead of away from life. And in your quiet solitude you will experience the God that is loving and compassionate toward all he has made including you!

Your Heart's Desire

2011-12-31T07:52:00.000-08:00

1 Kings 3:5-14
John 8:12-19

What if an angel of God came to you with the gift of whatever your heart desires. What would you choose? Would you pray to have healthy, well-adjusted, successful children? Would you want your business known far and wide? Would you want to sit with intellectuals and hold you own? Would you want to be of service to mankind, making a difference in the world? Would you want enough money to never have to worry about where the next paycheck was coming from? Would you want to grow old with beauty and dignity keeping your wits about you until the end? What is it in the deepest depths of yourself that you really desire? Not what you think you should ask for, but what you really, deeply desire?

Solomon was approached in a dream by an angel who asked this very thing. Solomon asks for a discerning heart—a heart that would be able to dispense justice wisely and that would rule the kingdom of Israel after the manner of his father, David. God was pleased with this request and gave him the gift of wisdom and everything else a man could want. Unfortunately in his real life Solomon’s wisdom did not extend to the choices he made. His excesses ruined him!

Paul’s deepest desire was to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. His passion was to discern the Spirit of God working in his life and mission. He taught others to “live in Christ” regardless of the cost to his own body.

Jesus said that his own ability to discern and judge was perfect because he stood with the Father. “My Father and I are one.”

Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk, tells us that we are to discern the person that God has designed us to be and remove all the impediments to the functioning of that person. God intends for us to be like Jesus. We are to discern how that looks in the day to day experience of life. Certainly a good thing to desire.

I sometimes think that we desire too little rather than too much. We often desire things that are ultimately bad for us. We desire things that when granted leave us wanting something more, or different. Even the really “good” things that we desire often seem short-lived and incomplete somehow. If God were to ask me the same question he asked Solomon, would I know what to ask for? St. Augustine says that our hearts are restless until they rest in God. And that brings us back to Jesus and Paul. The greatest desire, the desire with the greatest possibility of fulfillment and satisfaction is to know Christ and through him to know the Father at a deep and unifying level. Anything else that I might desire and ask for is bound to leave me wanting. Only God can fill all the empty places and longings. Only he is sufficient in a world that hinges on insanity. Only he can hold everything together and give it meaning and purpose.

I have no trouble pursuing my desires for things and causes. It’s easy to set goals and take steps to reach them. But to seek God, to know God, to align my desires with his desires for me, requires me to have an intentional spiritual life. If I am serious, I need to set aside time for prayer and contemplation. I need to study the Word to discover how God interacts with his people. I need to grow in my love and knowledge of his Son, Jesus. I need to become aware of my life (its actions and motivations) and to be willing to grow and change. Too often, this deepest desire gets blocked by all my other competing desires. Like Solomon I become consumed with an excess of things and lose sight of the Real Thing. I pray that in this New Year I will pursue my deepest desire in Christ and know him and the power of his resurrection. Nothing else will satisfy!

A Wintry Blast

2011-12-31T07:46:00.000-08:00

Psalm 147:12-20

I come from Chicago and I know about winters. People either love winter or hate it. You have those that don the winter togs and face the elements to build snowmen and make angels, ski, sled, or simply shovel the snow, loving every minute of it. Others book their cruises or head for their warm winter homes in Florida. There is certainly something awesome about a winter’s storm. Its power is undeniable as it topples huge trees, sends eighteen-wheelers into a spin, or knocks out power for miles around. Its beauty is also undeniable. An ice storm can cover trees and sidewalks making them shine and twinkle like a fairy’s garden. A blanket of snow covers all the muck and dirt that a city accumulates making everything pristine for a moment in time. A winter storm slows everything down. People stay hunkered in, traffic is non-existent, and street sounds are muffled. It’s as if everything is holding its breath. Being caught out in the wilds in a winter storm is fearsome.

The psalmist compares the commands of God to a winter storm. He speaks of the blanket of snow, the crystals of frost and the pellets of hail and then asks, “Who can withstand the icy blast?” This imagery seems out of place to me coming from a nomadic desert people. Yet it also seems very fitting. God’s commands are powerful, beautiful, dangerous to ignore. There is harshness to them. We read “DO NOT” and ask: “Who can stand in light of them?” As we read them we realize that the God who gave them is not to be toyed with. He is serious about his demands. Their beauty, power, and sternness overwhelm us. If we were to be left here with only this description, we would be chilly indeed. But, the psalmist reminds us that these commands are a gift and that people to whom they were given are the fortunate ones. At the time of the psalmist’s writing, the Israelites were the only people who were privileged to have them. He reminds us that God’s warm word melts the ice into usable moisture that waters their gardens and produces their crops. This warmth is often referred to as God’s compassion or loving kindness. God is not some harsh dictator who heaps impossible commands on people like a winter storm, expecting them to don their protective gear and brave the elements. These commands are melted with God’s loving kindness to produce the water of life. This water is what makes growth possible. Without these commands, weeds grow up to destroy the very roots of the ecosystem.

I have to ask myself how I feel about the commands and rules for living that I find throughout scripture. Do they feel like a harsh winter storm to me? I have to admit that sometimes they make me feel blanketed (smothered) or pelted. Sometimes they seem incredibly stringent. How can I ever be a “perfect” person? But as I remember the loving kindness of God, I remember that these are God’s prescription for a full and abundant life. They are not meant to punish but are given out of unceasing love. And, they are given with a built-in system of forgiveness. God, knowing that I am incapable of perfection, has given me a Savior who has paid for my infractions (sins). He has given me his Spirit to help me grow and develop. I am a work in progress and God is patient. I can only let the warmth of his love melt the cold of the commandments to become the water to carry nourishment to my soul. Spring is at hand.

What Are You Building?

2011-12-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 3:10-17

The Apostle Paul is known for the Christology that he laid down for the early church. Christ is the foundation of all that is. His person and work are the starting point of all Christian work. As the hymn says “all other ground is sinking sand.” The question that Paul raises in this passage is not regarding the foundation, but what is built upon that foundation. It is possible for one to begin with the same basic foundation and create all varieties of building projects. He points out that these building will be judged in the final days. Some will be burned up and destroyed because they were made of hay and stubble. Others made with gold and durable goods will last and be rewarded. Lest we get sidetracked into thinking only about ministries or actual projects, Paul reminds us that we are the temples being built. It is our lives that are to be built on this solid foundation of Jesus’ blood and righteousness. Paul makes the point that it is possible to have the right starting point—a solid foundation—and build something worthless on that foundation, something that honors our own egos, rather than God. We can say all the right things and use proper theology to build something that does not honor God. How can this be possible?

We all remember the eighties when some Christian ministries were taken to task because the leaders were using donated funds for personal use—palatial homes, designer clothes, exotic travel. These were the funds that little old ladies sacrificed for the spread of the gospel. The mud of these ministries sent sprays of mistrust over many dedicated and faithful ministries. The foundation of truth had been twisted for personal gain—hay and stubble. I wonder about having Dove awards for Christian musicians who use the Word in their songs to gain adoring fans and red carpet treatment. Lest I get carried away with judgment I have to ask myself why I write about spiritual truths. Is it because I wish to gain a reputation for being wise and insightful? Do I hope to support myself with the books I write? Am I more concerned with income that God be glorified in what I do? These are hard questions and the answers are not always easy to detect covered as they are in muddied motives.

And what about not our vocations and ministries, but our personal lives? How have we taken the truth that has been given to us and applied it to our lives? Are the temples that we are building constructed to honor God? For example do we use our endowed gifts in ways that benefit us rather than serve God? It is possible to use the gift of helps as a means of manipulating others. “I will help you, but you then owe me.” It is possible to use the gift of discernment to control others. “I know what’s best for you, God told me!” It is possible to use the gift of money to build buildings with plaques bearing our own names. You get the idea.

Paul would have us be very aware that it is possible to take a wonderful, solid foundation to build trashy shacks. In the end all will be made known for what they are. Those built with purity of heart and solid commitment to the glory of God will last, all others will be burned to rubble. What kind of building are you building?

Killing the Prophets

2011-12-27T06:53:00.000-08:00

2 Chronicles 24:17-24
Acts 7:51-60

God created human beings with the ability to communicate. I recently saw a video on YouTube of diapered twins yammering away at one another in their own language. They clearly understood one another. One lifted his foot and pointed to his foot that was missing a sock. They seemed to have found it a reason for great hilarity. I could not help but join in the laughter as well. www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JmA2ClUvUY

Scripture points out to us that God gave us this ability to communicate because he himself wants to communicate with us. We are told that before the Fall, God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden. You get the sense of easy dialogue and sharing. We all love the old hymn that says “And he walks with me and talks with me and tells me I am his own.”

After the Fall God communicates through the prophets. He calls Moses to the mountaintop and explains to him the kind of community he is longing for his people to be. Throughout the Old Testament every time the people have strayed he sends someone to give the people God’s word, calling them back from disaster to redemption. It is never God who fails to make the attempt at communication. Over and over again, the people have rejected the prophets and declined to hear what God has to say. Jesus tells the parable of the rich man in hell wanting God to send someone to his house to warn his family about what happens when you live it up, rejecting God. He is told that if his family has not already paid attention to the law and the prophets it is unlikely that they will listen to anyone new. We are also told that since people refused to listen to the prophets, God sent his own Son to be the Word. The world’s answer to this wonderful form of communication was crucifixion. You would think that this would be the end of God’s desire to communicate, yet he goes one step further to send the Holy Spirit to speak directly in and to our own spirits. The Holy Spirit continually reaches out in a multitude of ways. It is we who refuse to hear and reject the word.
2 Chronicles, 24:18b-19, tells that the anger of the Lord came upon Judah. Although the Lord sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them [the false religious practices], they would not listen. God did not fail to keep trying. He sent his Spirit upon Zechariah, the king’s son, who spoke the word of the Lord but they killed him as well.(Sound familiar?) In the Acts reading, Stephen boldly tells his listener: “You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit! Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him.” And so, of course, they stoned Stephen.

God communicates. We stop up our ears. We grow hard. We grow rebellious. We "kill the prophets". We reject the Word that the Spirit longs to communicate. God weeps. And finally God judges.

Ain't It a Shame!

2011-12-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

Ain’t It a Shame!
Psalm 25

The dictionary defines shame as a “disturbed or painful feeling of, incompetence, indecency, or blameworthiness.” No one likes to feel shame. We all tend to have an exalted estimation of ourselves We think of ourselves as loving, good or moral, capable of good if not great things. We think that if we work hard and are disciplined that we will eventually reach our material and spiritual goals. To not make the grade is painful indeed. “I can’t believe I did that!” We had thought we had the skills, motivation, heart or spiritual commitment to be what we had intended. Shame follows.

David’s first great statement is that his hope is in the Lord. So often our hope is in ourselves. We look to our natural gifts, education, discipline, moral upbringing etc. David says “No!” His hope is not in himself but in the Lord. He goes on to give a wonderful agenda for dealing with shame. He begins with humility. He knows it is not within his power to make things right. He looks to the Lord and counts on His goodness and unfailing love. He recognizes and owns his condition. He admits that he is a sinner. As Paul says, he has fallen short of the glory of God”. David declares, “I am lonely and afflicted.” He takes refuge in the Lord and knows that the Lord will teach him. The Lord confides in him and covenants with him. David makes a new commitment to integrity and shame is replaced with hope. What a healthy response!

Many of us stumble on the first step. It is hard to admit that we have failed. Instead of owning up we set about to cover up. We design “stories” to make light of the occurrence. We lay blame on others. We excuse our own behavior indicating that this mis-step was an aberration, and of course not our normal behavior. We avoid places, situations, and people who might unearth or enhance these feelings of incompetence. Church becomes less attractive. The saints become “bores.” The shame burrows deep within beating us up with reminders of our failures. It is hard for us to come to terms with the consequence of our acts. We hate to admit that our relationships have been affected. We are loath to lower our sights and create more realistic dreams. We cannot abide being ordinary instead of exceptional. You might think that this is addressing only “superior” people but even the most average of us have expectations above what we are able to produce. However, once we have taken our eyes off of ourselves and put them on the Lord the process of healing can begin.

The psalms of David consistently remind us of the compassion and loving kindness of God. (Psalm 139). It is not his desire to condemn but to save. How wonderful it is to know that the Holy Spirit is willing and present to teach us step by step. How awesome to know that God desires to confide in us and that he is willing to make a covenant with us. He has promised that he will be our God and that we shall be his people. We can rest in the hope that while we are not what we should be, neither are we what we will be. God promises that we will trade these tattered rags for white robes.

But, David also says that there are those who should be put to shame. He strongly states that the treacherous will be put to shame. Those who carelessly choose to do the wrong thing even though they have the wherewithal to do better. They could but they won’t. This is not a matter of humbly recognizing limitation. This is a matter of confessing outright rebellion. In this case one does not ask forgiveness for not measuring up but for willful arrogance. In this instance shame is a proper response.

In either case shame is not a Christian virtue. Instead shame is a call to reality. We are finite creatures who fail and rebel, but there is hope in the Lord. He wishes to wash away the shame and replace it with newness of life. Ain’t it a shame that more of us don’t let go of our shame and rest in the unfailing love and compassion of God?

Pay Attention

2011-12-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

2 Peter 1:16-21

I am amazed at the number of times that scripture tells us to pay attention. Paying attention leads to living intentional lives. In this portion of scripture we are told to pay attention to what the prophets have said. They are like beacons of light that shine in the darkness. Perhaps you are a little skeptical of prophets mistakenly associating them with sooth-sayers, tarot card readers and the friendly psychic down the road. The prophets of scripture were a strange lot. They did really strange things to make their points—Jeremiah was told to wear an ox yoke around as he gave his warnings, Hosea was told to marry a prostitute who would be unfaithful to him. We tend to stand back from weirdness.

The more troubling thing is that the prophets did not seem to have had a clear sense of timing. Some of the things they prophesied were immediate and some near future and some are still waiting to be fulfilled. However their prediction are all mixed together and it’s hard to sort them out. They are similar to Jesus prediction of the end of times in Matthew. The disciples suffered persecution and Jerusalem was destroyed shortly after the prediction, but we have yet to see Jesus descending on a cloud to take the believers to the place that he has prepared for them. There are many that have become consumed with trying to figure out the “when” of things. They spend hours pouring over the texts trying to interpret the imagery so that they can put things into a nice tidy package for us. They have been wrong so many times that we tend not only to discount them but their prophetic source.

Prophets are scary. They talk about things that we would prefer to ignore and deny. They warned of exile and God’s angry punishment. They turn our safe God into a Lion, not quite so safe anymore. Scripture warns us that we are not to discount what the prophets have said. The true prophets are speaking the word of the Lord. But after all these dire predictions of God’s chastisement, they also reveal the loving heart of God. It is not his desire that any should perish. He fills the prophet’s mouths with good news of God’s coming redemption. God will bring the people back to himself.

So what is it that we are to hear? We are to learn fear of the Lord. Oh, not to live in quaking boots, but to realize that God is not a pushover. God will do what he says he intends to do. He will judge the world, just as he warned and chastised the people in the Babylonian exile. Do not be fooled into thinking that God’s compassionate mercy means that he will not judge. Most importantly, we are to pay attention to the good news that God has made a way of salvation in Jesus Christ and that if we wish to be saved we must receive what he has given. To ignore or reject God’s means of redemption will end in disaster. The prophets have foretold. You will do well to pay attention to the word of the prophets, “as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your heart. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:19-21). Pay attention to the prophets—good advice!

Peace on Earth

2011-12-23T07:13:00.000-08:00

Ephesians 2:11-22

Israel at the time of Jesus had a racial divide as serious as that of any time in history. The Jews and the gentiles were enemies. The gentiles were banned from the worship of the Jews. This worship was the heart and soul of the Jew's existence. They had a high standard of what made one clean or unclean and those who were unclean were banned and shunned. The Jews would walk miles out of their way to avoid crossing gentile territory. This is why the Samaritan woman was so shocked to find Jesus at the well. That he spoke with her, a gentile woman, was astonishing. To even touch a gentile made one "unclean". The hostility created tensions for everyone. The good news announced to the shepherds on the hillside, “Peace on Earth,” was startling and welcomed news indeed, especially for those who had believed themselves to be unfit and excluded from the presence of God.

Jesus came to bring the good news of peace to all people. This peace was peace with God that extended to peace among all peoples. Jesus came to “be our peace, make the two one, he has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create one new man out of the two…to put to death their hostility.”

Our world is filled with hostility. War rages on many fronts, not only in foreign lands—among city street gangs, between races, between those of different sexual orientation, between (in) religious denominations, in church families, even between husband and wife, parent and child. Jesus came to bring love and peace that would end all hostility everywhere. Unfortunately like those of Jesus’ time we resist the one thing that would bring peace—the love of God in Jesus Christ. When Jesus rules in the hearts of humankind, peace is found. All people become one in love. It is not that all people become identical. Our God loves variety. He is served best when each individual, race, or nation serves him in the beauty of their uniqueness. Peace comes when the dignity and worth of all is recognized. When God has shown such diversity in the flora and fauna of the world, why would we expect all humans to be alike? When the peace of Christ rules in the heart, our hearts are expanded to encompass the world. Rather than restrict it to a few brought together by rules and regulations of acceptable looks and behavior as the Jews had done at the time of Jesus (and as we often do in our own church congregations), God’s love is universal. “For God so loved the world . .

As we think of “peace on earth” at this time of year, it is a good time to look at the seeds of hostility that exist in our own lives. Have we allowed the peace of Jesus to remove all our prejudices? Have we opened our hearts to our “enemies”? Are we willing to make peace with our neighbor? Can we forgive our father, mother, husband, or child? The love of Christ has given us all that we need to bring peace on earth. As the song has said “let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.”

Foot-Stompin' Frustration

2011-12-20T07:45:00.000-08:00

Genesis 30:1-24
Romans 8:18-30

What does one do when hopes are frustrated and dreams are dashed? Paul in Romans indicates that this is not an uncommon problem. Even the earth groans with the desire for redemption and restoration and for the time being is frustrated.

Our Genesis passage gives us a telling illustration of frustrated desires. Jacob had fallen in love with Rachel and asked for her hand in marriage. All went forward with anticipation until Laban, Rachel’s father, substituted the less attractive sister, Leah (whom he feared would never get married), in the marriage bed. He required Jacob to work another seven years to finally get Rachel for his wife. The deceit of Laban put into motion a whole spiral of dysfunction and hatred that lasted for generations. Rachel and Leah spent their entire lives in competition for Jacob’s attention and affection. Bearing children seemed to be the ring in which they fought. While Rachel had the affection of Jacob, it was Leah who was fertile, making Rachel burn with envy. Rachel dealt with her frustration by enlisting her maid to bear Jacob’s children in her stead. Then Leah who had aged beyond child bearing enlisted her maid to bear Jacob additional children. It got to the point where Jacob became a commodity in their competition. Leah even bartered some mandrake plants for a night with Jacob.

This story gives a common pattern for dealing with frustration. We don’t get what we want from others so we take it into our own hands. This often results in further complications wherein the sins of the fathers are visited on the children (or as in this case, the sins of the mothers.) In our story, it was Rachel who felt that Jacob was letting her down. Jacob points out perhaps not so tactfully that it is not his problem, but God who is responsible for her barrenness. Rachel’s first choice is not to ask God for help but to push ahead to make it happen for herself. After many years, Rachel finally seeking help from God, was able to bear a child of her own womb, but this was not enough for her. She died birthing a second son. The animosity between Rachel and Leah’s children continued for years. The final note of interest is that it was through Leah’s line that the Savior of the world was born; God had chosen the less desirable by human standards, to mother the line of the Messiah—out of the line of Judah, a King will come!

How we deal with frustrated desires is an indication of our spiritual maturity. Paul writes that a mature believer is able to accept frustration in the realization that God is able to bring about good even in those circumstances that thwart our desires. Mature believers know that not all fulfillment comes in this lifetime. Mature believers are able to live in hope, knowing that in God’s timing we will receive what he has promised. Paul points out that patience is a key quality of a mature believer: “But if we have hope for what we do not already have, we wait for it patiently.” Waiting patiently for God to act in His time is key. This does not mean that we do nothing while we wait. It means we do the work at hand, we take each new step as it comes, we pray for discernment and we trust that God will act. We do not set about to achieve our desires in our own power “come hell or high water.” This ability to wait patiently is a strong witness in a culture that demands immediate gratification. Are you impetuous, demanding, pushing ahead to get what you want right now? Or are you patiently following God’s leading, trusting in his timing and goodness? “Wait , I say, upon the Lord.”

Childbirth

2011-12-17T08:02:00.000-08:00

Psalm 80:1-7
Isaiah 66:7-11
Luke 13:31-35

The cry goes out “Restore us O God, make your face shine upon us that we may be saved.”

How often we hear the complaint “If God is so good, why doesn’t he do something about the evil that exists in our world? Why doesn’t he save us?” To many it seems that God is either impotent or simply indifferent to our torn and bleeding world. Isaiah gives us a different picture of God, that of midwife. Using the image of childbirth, he states that God is able to bring about the birth even before the labor pains begin. “Do I bring to the point of birth and not deliver”? Any woman giving birth knows that at the end it is impossible not to push the baby out. It’s an impossible time to close the womb! The Midwife will deliver the baby. In Isaiah what God wants to do is give birth to salvation and restoration for the Jews after their period of exile. He states that Israel will nurse at the breast. It will be delivered. Nothing can stop it. God is not impotent to do what he has promised; instead he is able to deliver with skill and immediacy. For us, Paul states that “He who has begun a good work in you will bring it to completion.”

So what’s the problem? If God wants to save and is powerful enough to do so, then why doesn’t he? The answer is that he has and that he will. Throughout the prophets we have been reading of God’s promise of coming salvation. This advent season we have been “waiting.” Our passages have declared “He is coming to save.” The imagery is fulfilled in a baby born in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. Salvation has come. As Jesus journeys around the countryside he tells his listeners about the salvation that God has birthed. He tells Nicodemus that he must be birthed into this salvation. On his last trip to Jerusalem Jesus sits outside its gate and laments “How I wanted to gather you like a mother hen gathers her chicks but you would not.” Herein lies the problem. Not that God refuses to save but that the endangered have rejected his way of salvation. And we today are no different. We moan and groan about the mess and fear for our future but refuse to accept the gift offered. We are like the Jews who wanted this salvation to look different; certainly not like a baby born in humble surroundings, or a dusty itinerant preacher, and especially not a criminal on a cross. And we want a salvation that doesn’t require anything from us, certainly not righteous kingdom living! No matter how we feel about it, God has put his plan into action. The conception has occurred at Bethlehem and the pregnancy is advancing. The time of delivery will arrive. He longs for us to be the beneficiaries. He weeps when we refuse. He announces over and over that the culmination of his plan is near, Jesus will return to bring all things under his rule. He will defeat all enemies and take those who believe in him to the place he has prepared for them; a place free of evil, pain, and suffering; a place of beauty and creativity, a place filled with song. All will be well. The question arises: Have you received the salvation that the Lord has given, or do you resist hoping for another way?

Frozen Solid

2011-12-16T07:00:00.000-08:00

Acts 28:23-31

Scripture speaks often about hardened hearts and spiritual blindness. Either of these terms describes someone who refuses to acknowledge spiritual truth. They have heard, but they have rejected. It doesn’t usually happen overnight. Maybe it is a little like freezing to death. First the extremities go and then little by little other parts get cold numbed until the whole body is frozen. Many mountain climbers are not even aware that they have lost fingers or toes. I believe that at some point in life everyone has been exposed to some glimmer of the light of truth. Some receive it and seek more; others either ignore or reject it. For those who accept and live in the light they have been given, more becomes evident. This is a promise that Jesus made to his disciples. For those who reject the light of truth (for whatever reasons) a light layer of resistance forms around their heart (or spirit) and the next time the truth is a little easier to ignore or reject. The ears are filled with a little wax and the eyes gain a little film and sight and hearing are impeded. The process continues until one is spiritually deaf and blind. There is nothing that stirs the heart. Psalm 95 says “Today if you hear the Lord, harden not your heart.” If our hearts are hardened, it is not because the Lord stops trying to communicate, it is because we stop hearing/seeing/responding.

The people who came to see Paul, under house arrest in Rome, had heard about the troublesome sect. They were curious. They had one of the most knowledgeable leaders available to teach, dialogue, and demonstrate what it means to be a follower of Christ. For two years Paul had an open door policy. They could “know Christ and the power of his resurrection” but they hardened their hearts to the truth. Paul becomes frustrated with them and bluntly tells them that if they refuse to hear there will be others (the gentiles) who will open their hearts. Christ will have followers, they just won’t be the Jews who were privileged to hear the good news first.

In this day and age we are continually bombarded with words. (In the middle ages only the few had the written words of scripture. Stained glass windows were not only for ornamentation, but were to tell the stories of Jesus without words.) It is easy for the important words to get lost in the midst of repetitious advertising, continual music, constant texting, etc. But more importantly it is easy for us set aside those words to attend the urgent but unimportant.

Lest we get hung up on thinking that truth is only presented in words, I remind you that truth also comes by seeing, by being aware and observant of what is around us. Too often we look without seeing. We don’t take the time to ask ourselves what the meaning is in what we are seeing. We look at gray hair and make an appointment with the hairdresser. Instead of seeing that time is passing and there are things to be accomplished before time on this earth ends. We see pollution in the air and remind ourselves to get the car serviced rather than think about what our passion for gas-guzzling trucks SUVs, and motor homes do to the environment.

It is an awesome thought that if we ignore truth of the moment that there will come a time when we are no longer able to detect truth at all. God does not refuse to communicate. The world is filled with his truth. It is we who no longer have any sensitivity left. As Paul told his visitors, God is not dependent on you or me. If we refuse to hear, Jesus said that even the stones could ring out in praise. It is we who need the life-saving truth of Jesus Christ. Today if we hear the voice of God, if we are given sight to see let us not harden our hearts. Amen.

No Shrinking Allowed!

2011-12-16T06:55:00.000-08:00

Hebrews 10:32-39

The author of Hebrews is writing to a group of Jewish Christians who are wavering in their faith. These men and woman have been in the middle of the persecutions visited on the new Christian sect. They had suffered much. They had stood by their fellow Christians in prison and joyfully let go of confiscated property because they had believed that their new-found faith was worth whatever it cost. But now they were growing tired and all that they could see ahead was more of the same. They began to wonder if perhaps they had been wrong. Maybe their old way of life was better after all. Their ability to persevere was being tested.

Perseverance is an old fashioned word to this generation. We don’t really expect things to last. Our products are made to wear out (built-in obsolescence) so that we can support the economy by spending more money to buy newer models. We don’t take our small appliances to a repair shop. We don’t even bother to darn our socks or get our shoes shined, we simply toss and replace. We are not much better with our relationships. The divorce rate continues to increase, and like our products, if a marriage is not working, we toss it and look for another. (The divorce rate among Christians equals that of non-Christians.) We engage in church shopping if the music or ministers don’t meet our expectations. We move from one thing to another never staying with anything long enough to master it. You get the idea. We are impatient people with little endurance for things that do not have an immediate pay off.

The Jewish Christians in the first flush of faith were prepared to take a stand and endure whatever came their way. Now they were beginning to think that faith was overrated. The author pleads with them not to give up the fight. He points out that Christianity in not a short-term faith. He encourages the believers by saying they will receive their reward if they do not give up or shrink back. He tells them to hang in there and “fight the good fight.”

The ancient monks knew of this tendency to become discouraged, to grow tired or get bored with the things of God. They referred to it as “the noonday devil.” It was an inner temptation that attacked after the morning burst of energy, when the day was at its hottest. It was the temptation to let down, seek the shade. They felt so strongly about this temptation that they named it one of the seven deadly sins called sloth or acedia.

Our author quotes Habakkuk. 2:3-4. “But he who is coming will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” He then goes on to say “But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.” He is coming! That is the word of Advent. You will not want to get caught napping or running in the wrong direction. Continue in diligence and passion for the things of God. Do not shrink back! Persevere!

Hard as a Rock

2011-12-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

Acts 28:23-31

Scripture speaks often about hardened hearts and spiritual blindness. Either of these terms describes someone who refuses to acknowledge spiritual truth. They have heard, but they have rejected. It doesn’t usually happen overnight. Maybe it is a little like freezing on a mountain top. First the extremities go and then little by little other parts get cold and freeze until the whole body is frozen. Many mountain climbers are not even aware that they have lost fingers or toes. I believe that at some point in life everyone has been exposed to some glimmer of the light of truth. Some receive it and seek more; others either ignore or reject it. For those who accept and live in the light they have been given, more becomes evident. This is a promise that Jesus made to his disciples. For those who reject the light of truth (for whatever reasons) a light layer of resistance forms around their heart (or spirit) and the next time the truth is a little easier to ignore or reject. The ears are filled with a little wax and the eyes gain a little film and sight and hearing are impeded. The process continues until one is spiritually deaf and blind. There is nothing that stirs the heart. Psalm 95 says “Today if you hear the Lord, harden not your heart.” If our hearts are hardened, it is not because the Lord stops trying to communicate, it is because we stop hearing/seeing/responding.

Those who came to see Paul, under house arrest in Rome, had heard about the troublesome sect called people of the way. They were curious. They had one of the most knowledgeable leaders available to teach, dialogue, and demonstrate what it means to be a follower of Christ. For two years Paul had an open door policy. They could “know Christ and the power of his resurrection” but they hardened their hearts to the truth. Paul becomes frustrated with them and bluntly tells them that if they refuse to hear there will be others (the gentiles) who will open their hearts. Christ will have disciples, they just won’t be the Jews who were privileged to hear the good news first.

In this day and age we are continually bombarded with words. (In the middle ages only the few had the written words of scripture. Stained glass windows were not only for ornamentation, but were to tell the stories of Jesus without words.) It is easy for the important words to get lost in the midst of repetitious advertising, continual music, constant texting, etc. But more importantly it is easy for us set aside those words to attend the urgent but unimportant.

Lest we get hung up on thinking that truth is only presented in words, I remind you that truth also comes by seeing, by being aware and observant of what is around us. Too often we look without seeing. We don’t take the time to ask ourselves what is the meaning in what we are seeing. We look at gray hair and make an appointment with the hairdresser. Instead of seeing that time is passing and there are things to be accomplished before time on this earth is no more. We see pollution in the air and remind ourselves to get the car serviced rather than think about what our passion for gas-guzzling trucks SUVs, and motor homes do to the environment.

It is an awesome thought that if we ignore truth of the moment that there will come a time when we are no longer able to detect truth at all. God does not refuse to communicate. The world is filled with his truth. It is we who no longer have any sensitivity left. As Paul told his visitors, God is not dependent on you or me. If we refuse to hear, Jesus said that even the stones could ring out in praise. It is we who need the life-saving truth of Jesus Christ. Today if we hear the voice of God, if we are given sight to see let us not harden our hearts. Amen.

A Unique Child

2011-12-10T05:45:00.000-08:00

Luke 1:57-66

We are all aware that John the Baptist was a unique person. He was a “miracle baby” born to a couple well beyond their child bearing years. This pregnancy was announced in a unique way by an angel who appeared before Zechariah while he was serving as high priest. The uniqueness continues at the dedication ceremony in the temple on the eighth day. The company of people gathered for the ceremony fully expected that the child should be named after his father and follow in his father’s footsteps. The mute Zechariah wrote on a table that this newborn’s name should be John whereupon he regained his speech and broke out into joyous praise to God. John was unique in his upbringing and as a young man it is believed that he joined a group of desert ascetics who did not cut their hair, ate off the land and wore animal skins for clothing, and practiced austere spiritual disciplines. His entire ministry was unique in that his purpose was to prepare the world for the coming of One who was greater than he. When he had done his job he fades into obscurity until we hear of his grisly death at the hands of Herod. Jesus confirmed that John was the greatest of those born before the coming of the kingdom of God, but that the least of those born into the kingdom were greater than John.

There was one John the Baptist. Our goal should not be to be “called” like John the Baptist—to re-enact the life he led. We do not need to become desert ascetics and wear strange clothes or eat grasshoppers and honey. Yet we are called as well. Our births are special to God. The greatest responsibility of each of us is to be the unique person God has designed us to be. Unlike John, who was named by God, we are named by our parents. Often our parents have expectations for what we will become. They often train us toward those expectations. Sometimes it is to follow in a career path or take over the family business. We are told that we will go to college or serve in the military because it is the tradition in our family. Sometimes this works out well, but there are other times when it seems to be a poor fit at best. We do not feel that we are in the right skin, and believe that we were made for something else. We sometimes feel as if we are wearing masks and playing roles in order to please others who are important to us. Because of this, the results are often mediocre.

One of the lessons from the story of John is that God is present in our formation and that he sees our uniqueness, calls us by name, and desires that we praise him by being what he created us to be. Some are fortunate and know early in life what that is. My sister knew when she was five that she wanted to be a nurse. A nurse that was speaking at the college stayed in our home and Penny was enthralled. She just knew! At seventeen she entered nurse’s training and spent her life as a nurse. A few years ago her husband suffered a stroke and she brought him home to care for him. I heard her express that this was what she had been born to do. Others know it in business, education, ministry, parenthood, or artistic pursuits.

Not all of us are so blessed. It may take us a lifetime to put the pieces together and understand our giftedness and calling. It may take some undoing of false programming. It may take some exploration and trial and error. It may call us to get off the “success” track that our culture promotes. The key is to pay attention to the voice of God who encourages us to move step by step into discovering what he has planned for us. When we find it, we will also find our true voices. Like Zechariah we will use those voices to praise our Creator. And as St. Francis said, we best praise God by being what he created us to be. So let it be.

Giving and Sharing

2011-12-10T05:41:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 9:1-15

Paul has been put in charge of a fund raising operation. The Christian Jews in Jerusalem are suffering poverty. Their outspoken support of the church of Jesus Christ has made them a target and it has cost them greatly. Paul has taken it in hand to tell the surrounding churches that a collection will be gathered to help these brothers and sisters. He indicates that some preparation is necessary so that when the collectors come, they will find a generous offering has been put together. And so he sets about to remind them of the source of their bounty and the mutuality of their commitment to Christ. He expects generosity of heart.

Around Christmas time we all receive many appeals for financial help for the poor. Many of us pull out the address labels and free greeting cards and throw the appeals in the trash. Paul is making a point here. We are responsible to help the poor. Many of us do not come in contact with the poor during the normal pattern of our ordinary days. We know that they are out there, and we are not avoiding our responsibility we just don’t know the best way to go about it. Paul is underlining the necessity and benefits of giving to those intermediaries who can get the money to where it is needed. In this case ignorance is no excuse. Having worked two summers for the Salvation Army, I have been able to see the wonderful ways in which they serve the poor. They provide life saving service in the name of Christ every day. You know other agencies as well. Paul says give!

However having said this, giving is no excuse for opting out on sharing. Giving to a church, or giving to an agency does not free us from the responsibility to share with those we interact with every day. Sharing is different from giving. Giving can be done for all different kinds of reasons—tax benefits, responsible membership, or personal recognition. Giving does not necessarily involve any personal interaction. Sharing involves caring relationship. In sharing, I see your need and I know that I have something that will meet your need. I offer it not out of pity or superiority but because you are a fellow traveler and I feel a solidarity with you. I have been or might be in your situation and I would like someone to reach out and share with me. Not up to down but side to side. We are not talking only money here. We are talking kind words, encouragement, companionship in the dark days, some investment of effort in helping one to find a way out of difficulty, support as a sponsor, welcoming friendship and inclusion—you get the idea.

At Christmas time it is tempting to give and neglect the sharing. We are so busy with all the extra activity and expense that it is easy to ignore the silent cries of the grieving, the lonely, the worn-out ones. We have other things on our minds. We tell ourselves that we simply don’t have the time, money or energy to do any more than we are doing. Perhaps we might let go of some of the decorating, entertaining, gift buying in order to share our time and resources with others for whom Christmas is not a joyous time. There are those who have lost loved ones during the holidays and remembering is painful There are those homes where substance abuse makes the holiday one long drunk. There are those whose families live far away or have no connection with them. Sharing reaches out in the name of Christ to touch others with love of the Savior whose name we bear. Isn’t sharing as important as giving this season?

The Carrot and the Stick

2011-12-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

The Carrot and the Stick
Amos 6:1-8

I find the Advent readings intriguing in that they bounce back and forth between threatening disaster to come and holding out the beauty of the future when God will restore everything that has been destroyed. In the former readings, the Israelites are castigated for their indulgence, outwardly sinful behavior and indifference to the things of God. “You put off the evil day and bring near the reign of terror, You lie on beds inlaid with ivory and lounge on your couches (Couch potatoes), You dine on choice lambs and fattened calves (Hang out at the best restaurants). You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments (Lose yourself in your music). You drink wine by the bowl full (drink to the point of intoxication) and use fine lotions (apply those expensive creams to keep the wrinkles at bay), but you do not grieve over the reign of Joseph. To make sense of this last part, one must remember how God provided for the Jews during the time of Joseph. Joseph was a remarkable leader whose wise management of resources provided food for his countrymen during a time of draught and famine. In Psalm 80:1, Judah and Israel are referred to as "Joseph." Amos is saying that "as to their own kingdom which was invaded, distressed, and broken in upon, this kingdom of which they were conservators, they were unaware of the breaches that were made upon it. They were so besotted, so indulgent of their pleasures that they never took the conditions to heart. They had such an aversion to the thing called business [work] that they were in no care or concern to get these breaches repaired. It is all one to them whether the nation sink or swim, but so that they can but lie at ease and live in pleasure. (Matthew Henry commentary) These people knew that they were on the thin edge but they were doing nothing about it except to “eat, drink, and be merry” for as long as they could. They were interested only in their own pleasure, not in preventing or preparing for any disaster to come. They are bluntly told that life as they know it will end. These “fat cats” are going to be the first to go.

Even while they are being told of the disaster and exile that is approaching, they are told that God is preparing a future for them. He describes a time that is coming when all will be peaceful—the lamb will lie down with the wolf. God never lets them totally despair. He lets them know that while this time of exile is necessary, they are still his people and in the future, the Kingdom will be restored.

One of the wonderful things about our God is that he never gives up on his desire to have a relationship with his people and he will use whatever method is needed to make that happen. Sometimes he woos us with the promise of good things and sometimes he “whacks us over the head.” Sometimes the carrot, and sometimes the stick. Sometimes, we must pay the price for our disobedience and the way out of our troubles is difficult work. It is these experiences that let us know that we never want to be in that “go our own way” again. We have learned the hard way that rebellion and disobedience do not get us where we want to be. At other times, the Lord has compassion on us and woos us to himself. He holds out the carrot in the form of blessings, forgiveness and invitations to come to the banquet. He smoothes the rough spots and gives us a helping hand. In either case he never lets us lose our hope. He says to us, “Do not despair, I am near, I will make all things new.” God’s end is not always what we expect it might be, but it is always the best given in love.

These advent readings remind us that God is near. He holds out the promise of punishment to the rebellious and disobedient, but the promise of abundant life to those who draw near to him. He woos and disciplines. What does it take to make you hear his voice?

Are You the One?

2011-12-07T06:04:00.001-08:00

Come thou long expected Jesus, Born to set thy people free
From our fears and sins release us, Let us find our rest in thee.

Israel’s strength and consolation, Hope of all the earth thou art/
Dear desire of eve’ry nation, Joy of ev’ry longing heart.

Born thy people to deliver, Born a child, and yet a king,
Born to reign in us forever—Now thy gracious kingdom bring

By thy own eternal Spirit Rule in all our hearts alone
By thine all sufficient merit Raise us to thy glorious throne.

Singing the advent hymn, “Come thou long expected Jesus” we are able to see the expectations harbored for the long-awaited Messiah. Prominent in these expectations is the hope of a King/kingdom that is described as gracious, glorious, powerful, all-sufficient. The people had waited a long time for this king to appear. John was chosen to prepare the way for Him to arrive and he does his job exactly as proscribed. But time has passed and this One who has come is “a puzzlement.” He is meek and mild. A teacher and healer. He doesn’t seem to be attacking the “enemies” (the Romans who were taxing the people into poverty), but instead attacks the Jewish religious establishment, the revered leaders of the community. Even those closest to Jesus are looking for an immediate tangible kingdom. A mother wants her sons, James and John, to be in the inner circle of power and riches. Judas monitors the purse strings hoping to be the money man. The prophet John is in prison and even he is unsure of what is going on. This was nothing like what he had expected either. He sends his disciples to Jesus to assure himself that he had not gotten it wrong, “Are you the one we were to expect?” he asks. Jesus points him to the scriptures in Isaiah which tell not of a king, but of a suffering servant—one who heals the lepers, makes the blind to see and the lame to leap. Yes, he is the one for whom they had waited.
Years of study and wisdom have shone us that there are two comings. The initial coming prepares us for the ultimate coming. The first coming prepares our hearts, introduces us to kingdom living made possible by the salvation of Jesus the Christ, and invites us to extend the invitation to others. It does not promise that all our immediate enemies will be thrown down, but promises us an inner resource in the Holy Spirit (the comforter, the teacher, the One who discerns) to help us to withstand in the times of trial. Maybe like John this is not what we had in mind when we came to Jesus. Maybe our expectations included success, power, a resolution of all our problems, a healing of all relationships and we too have been disappointed. Our expectations have not been met. Our “genie in a bottle” is flawed and we are disillusioned. Life is hard. Like others, we ask “Why is evil is allowed to have such power? Why are disease and death still so powerful? Why do my losses hurt so much?” and we too ask, “Are you the One?”
Jesus gives us the resounding answer in his resurrection “Yes, I am the one! I will do all that I have promised. I will establish my kingdom, I will come again, do not lose hope!” We have it right. Jesus is the One. We can count on him to keep his promise to return. In the meantime we are to live a kingdom lifestyle right here, right now, as we wait for the fulfillment of that glorious eternalKingdom, the new heaven and a new earth. Scripture tells us, do not lose hope! Keep on believing. Keep on working. Keep on praying. Keep on!

Anticipation

2011-12-05T06:11:00.000-08:00

Anticipation
Psalm 126
Isaiah 40:1-11
Romans 8:22-25

One of the hallmarks of a true Christian is that he/she is filled with anticipation, another word for hope. We have hope not only for the near future, but for eternity. The opposite attitude is the old-fashioned feeling of apathy or acedia. The desert fathers named it one of the seven deadly sins and called it the “noonday devil”. It was not the darkness of depression but the idea that in the heat of the sun, nothing was worth the effort. It implies boredom, lack of energy, lackluster effort and a desire to wile away the time in pleasurable pursuits that have no long-range benefit. But for the people of God the future has meaning and we live in anticipation. This distinguishes us from those who have no hope. John warns us against being lukewarm.
The Jewish people had been captured and taken into exile because they had rebelled against God. But with the second half of the book of Isaiah the tune turns from one of punishment to one of comfort. God is on the move. Their spirits quicken and their longings for home increase as they anticipate the trip back to the land that God had given them. God announces that they have paid their sin debt and that God has forgiven them. They are to prepare for God’s redemption. He will bring justice by leveling the arrogant and lifting the downtrodden. He will bring balance where things have been slanted in favor of the rich and powerful. He will bring stability. God’s word will endure and the rule of God will be in effect. He will restore their fortunes. He will reward them for their faithfulness to him during the exile. They will be comforted and protected like a sheep in the arms of a caring shepherd. God is on the move.
And so the Jews do the work at hand while preparing to be on the move when God makes the way. The glory of the Lord will be revealed. Their hearts swell with anticipation and they find songs on their lips once more. They can envision a different kind of life in their own land. And he promises us this same restoration. Paul talks about waiting patiently for those things for which we hope. This implies a durable confidence, a lack of anxiety, a joyful hope. God is making all things right. The writings of both Isaiah and Paul ring with anticipation.
It seems to me that the “noonday devil” is on the prowl for Christians in our day. In many there is a lack of energy for the things of God—Bible study and prayer, reaching the lost, confronting evil and working for justice. It isn’t that we never do these things, but that when done, these things are done out of routine, half-heartedly, with little joy or hope. It is much easier to wile away the hours in pleasurable pursuits that kill the hours, demanding little. I find that I am a victim of this myself. I find myself playing hours of Solitaire, watching TV, taking naps and wonder why I spend my time and money on things that have no lasting value. In this Advent season I need to remember that God is on the move. He is building the kingdom of God and the culmination is near at hand. He will return to establish and fulfill this kingdom. There is a time coming when all will be made right and I want to be in the midst of the happening. As I think on this my heart begins to swell with anticipation. I want to be ready. I want to fill my life with things that really matter as I wait patiently for Lord to come again. Yes, God is visibly here in his church, but he is also working behind the scenes in ways that I can hardly imagine. He is on the move. He is coming! He is near at hand. Come, Lord Jesus.

I Remember You in My Prayers

2011-12-05T05:53:00.000-08:00

I Remember You in My Prayers
Philippians 1:3-11

Recently I have been reading everything I can get my hands on about prayer. I have been doing an in depth study on the Lord’s Prayer which is of course the best place to begin. (I am posting this study on my web page at autumnsaints.com.) Today’s reading is also a good place to begin. Paul is writing to the Philippians. It was due to his ministry that the Philippian church came into being and it is one of the churches that seems to be operating as a church community should operate. He is very pleased with their progress. He is neither scolding nor correcting these believers. Paul prays for them often. He holds them in his heart. This is a good place to begin when we pray. We must hold those we pray for in our hearts. It is very difficult to pray for those we have cut off in disappointment, disagreement, or anger. It is impossible to prayer for those whom we envy or hate. We must even pray heartfelt prayers for our enemies in order to be children of our Father in heaven. The Father has been generous in his love and so must we. That is why we are taught to settle our disagreement before we approach the Lord and to not let the sun set on our anger. The prayers of the Old Testament faithful called down the wrath of God on evildoers. Jesus has taught us to call down the Father’s love. We must truly desire God’s very best even for our enemies.

Paul says that he gives prayers of thanksgiving for the Philippians. Paul certainly knows that these Philippians are not perfect, in fact later in the letter he gives us an illustration of two women who are having trouble settling a dispute. But he is grateful for all the wonderful things he sees in them and he expressed the confidence that God who began a good work will complete what he has started. This brings us to the second aspect of prayer in this passage. We are to believe that God is at work in the lives of those for whom we pray. It may not be obvious to us in what way God is working, but our God is a God who is active in drawing people to himself in love. He is active in bringing conviction of sin and offering redemption to all. He is active in the process of sanctification (making his children Christ-like). He is active preparing us for kingdom life and helping us to do the right things. We must have faith that God is at work even when we do not see it happening in the time or manner that we would like.

Next, Paul prays that their love may grow in knowledge and depth of insight. It is the longing of all of us to grow in the ability to love well. We know that there are times when our love has been weak, selfish or expressed in harmful or indulgent ways. We understand how important love is to an abundant life. We have trouble discerning when love should be “tough” and when love should abound with mercy and grace. Paul prays that this group of believers may learn to love well, with insight and wisdom. What a wonderful prayer that encompasses a desire for a mature and wise love to be at work in all of our relationships. We cannot go wrong is praying this for one another.

While these aspects of prayer are not the whole story, they are certainly a good beginning. Lord, help me to lovingly hold others in my heart with compassion and thanksgiving. May you richly bless them and may your perfect will be worked out in their lives. May we all grow in our ability to love wisely and generously. May I have the faith to know that you are at work you will complete what you have set out to do. Amen.

Overcoming Enemies

2011-12-03T06:04:00.000-08:00

Overcoming enemies
Luke 1:68-79
Malachi 3:5-12
Luke 9:1-6

My life is pretty placid and I don’t think much about having enemies. There may be the occasional difference of opinion but I don’t consider someone who thinks differently from me an “enemy.” The theme of the readings today is that the enemies, the arrogant and evil doers will one day be totally defeated. When I use those words, pictures start to come to mind: those greedy ones who have made their billions on the foreclosure of homes that now stand empty while their occupants live in cars; those drug dealers whose billions have come at the cost of naturally curious young people looking for a new experience or those masking pain; those who rape our natural resources for their own profit leaving gaping holes and putrid waters behind; and those arrogant ones who think and teach that God is a figment of the imagination, an opiate for the people. And then there are the non-human evils of disease, mental illness, and death. You get the idea. The Jews at the time of Malachi looked for One to come who would destroy all evil and we look for him to come as well. We are told that one day that will happen but between the time of Malachi and the return of Christ to set up his glorious kingdom there is an intermediary stage—one that was unexpected. A child was born, the Son of God, who came to lead us into the kingdom of God. His message was the kingdom could begin right here, right now. He sent his disciples out two by two to tell the good news and heal all the people’s diseases. The kingdom can begin within us, in our homes, in our neighborhoods, churches, in our country and world. It begins with basic though not necessarily simple things. It begins when I forgive someone who has wounded me. It begins when I do not let death and loss overcome me. It begins when I take action to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. It begins when I visit the elderly and those who are imprisoned. It begins when I reach out to those who need a friend. While many in Jesus’ time stayed at home and did these basic things, Jesus sent the disciples out to change the world. They challenged the evil systems head on. Sometimes I think we sit back and think evil is too big for us to tackle. “Nothing I can do will make any difference!” And yet, there are many people who have taken bold action to make not just the small difference but the big difference as well. They have not accepted the evil resident in their midst. Yes, one is coming who will “trample evil underfoot,” but in the meantime it is up to us to trample our own share of evil. What is the piece of evil that I am called to address? For me, I want to confront the “over the hill” mindset that infects our elderly. I want to encourage the “work” of elderhood. I want to challenge them with the knowledge that prayer really changes things and that it is a powerful calling. I want to encourage them to bring healthy closure by making peace within their families and letting go of all the regrets in their lives. I want them to leave their stories to the young. I want them to understand that it is as loving to receive the gifts of others as it is to give ourselves. So far, I can’t see that I’ve made much of a dent yet but it’s my passion and I can’t stop trying. What about you? What do you feel passionate about? Where can you put your efforts to work against the evils of our world? God has sent us into the world “for such a time as this.”

He Is Coming

2011-11-30T06:27:00.000-08:00

He Is Coming!
Isaiah 1:24-31

Advent means coming. These four weeks before Christmas are for us to remember the coming of Jesus the Christ both past and future. I did not grow up in a church that followed the liturgical year so it seems awkward to me to celebrate the coming of one who has already come. I feel a little dislocated in time. Yet I do not reject the importance of the news that “Jesus is coming.” Isaiah was a prophet that announced the coming of the One who would bring justice, a refiner’s fire upon the land. He was speaking to Judah at a time when it appeared prosperous. His description of the land could be talking about the United States today. He says “see how she has become a harlot! She once was full of justice and righteousness used to dwell in her—but now murderers!” I doubt that any of us would deny that the justice system in our own country is flawed. As for righteousness, just turn on the TV or prowl the Internet. Isaiah says that the most serious complaint is that they fail to defend the cause of the fatherless and the widow’s case does not come before them. The leaders love bribes and chase after gifts. The choice wine is diluted with water. Their silver is dross (in other words their currency has become worthless.) The leaders are more interested in gaining wealth than they are in seeking food for the hungry. Many of our people agree with this diagnosis as they camp out in parks to protest the greed of the corporate wealthy. I feel this failure to thrive as I walk the aisles of the grocery store and see the subtle ways the producers of our food try to make me think that I am getting value for my money. In reality they have changed the size of packaging, the quality and quantity of the food within, and upped the price anyway.
I feel this failure when I realize that the chances of accomplishing anything in our government is nil if one party will not listen to the other and the needs of the people are dismissed over receiving large donations for re-election.
I feel this failure when I hear the size of our national debt and the constant call to consumer debt.
I feel this failure when I hear of the numbers of homeless children living in cars and begging food. It would be easy to feel desperation and fear.
Isaiah would tell us, as he told the people of Judah, “Do not lose heart.” There is one coming who will make things right. He will purge away the dross and remove the impurities. Afterwards they will again be known as the “City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”
We as Christians believe in this One who has already come and who will come again to make things right. This One who comes in judgment will level those who have abused their positions at the top. And along with them, those who have been indifferent and played the game. Those who confess and are penitent will be restored but the arrogant will fall. “The mighty oak will become tinder and his work a spark; both of them will burn together and no one will quench the fire.”
While we rejoice in the news that righteousness will win the day, we must remember that Jesus has already come. The kingdom of God is at hand. It has been laid out for us what it means to be a kingdom dweller. And we are on one side or the other. There is no middle ground. We are on the side of righteousness and justice or we are on the side of those who benefit from injustice, those who enjoy our success on the backs of the poor—those children living in cars and eating garbage. You and I—are we fighting for this justice and righteousness? Or, are we reaping the benefits wrought by greed and injustice? Isaiah announces “He is coming!” and so He is!

Let the Redeemed Say So

2011-03-08T07:15:00.000-08:00

Psalm 107

"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever."

It has been said that everyone has one good book in them--one story to tell. The psalmist reminds us to tell that story. He gives us some categories to remind us of what the Lord has done for his people.

The Homeless: There are some who have wandered around lost without a place to settle--no real home, nowhere to belong, hungry and thirsty for love, tired depressed and the the Lord intervened. He delivered you from your distress and led you to a place where you could settle. He gave you people to love and those who would love you. He gave you family. He gave you a home instead of a house. "Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!

The Prisoners: There are those who have been imprisoned. Oh, maybe not behind actual bars, but surrounded by bars of sin, addiction, held back by distrust and fear, bombarded by horrible memories, held down by illness and disease. "Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron." Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!

The Rebellious: There are those who knowing better have set off on their own "not needing God." "They became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities." It isn't that they were unfamiliar with the way, but the way seemed too restrictive, too difficult, too boring, or old fashioned. They had better ideas--more current, more adventurous, smarter or more exciting! For these deviations they paid a high price. "They loathed all [spiritual] food and drew near the gates of death. They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress." Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!

The Storm-tossed: Others are simply people going about their ordinary business--"sailors going out to sea in ships." They were simply merchants, businessmen or women, teachers, medical personnel, bus drivers, landscapers, preachers, computer programmers or entertainers. The the storm hit. They lost jobs, disasters (earthquakes, floods, snowstorms, accidents, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, winds) struck, loved ones died, the economy took a nosedive, or disease invaded. "They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end. They cried to the Lord in their trouble and he brought them out of their distress... He stilled the storm...He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs...he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love."

I encourage you to write down or tape those stories that tell of the unfailing love of the Lord toward you so that your children and your children's children can read and reread them. In doing so they will draw courage, faith and trust in the Lord who has loved you with unfailing love. Let the redeemed of the Lord, say so!

Why don't you tell us your favorite story of God's activity in your life?

Style vs. Substance

2011-03-07T07:14:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 10

"I beg that you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. For though we live in the world we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons that we fight with are not the weapons of the world.On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up agains the knowledge of God, and we take every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (v. 3-6).

Paul is having trouble with those in the church at Corinth. The church is being torn apart by its factions. There are several prominent leaders who possess style and eloquence and the people are choosing one leader over the other and then arguing about whom is the best. In the midst of disunity the substance of the gospel is getting lost. Paul is at a disavantage because in appearance and style he cannot compete. It seems that his appearances borders on ugly and the boldness of his letters does not translate into eloqouence of speech in his personal appearances. His message is being overlooked and discounted. He pleads with them not to discount his message because of his image. Do not loose the substance of the gospel to style and image.

Our country is all about style. People may even be corrupt as long as they do it with style. We have come to believe that we cannot deliver the Christian message unless it is done with "style" and often the substance of the message is lost in our desire to appeal to our world. As seniors there comes a point when we are no longer in style. At some point it takes too much to stay on the cutting edge. For example, we become content with our computer and fail to buy the latest upgrade. We stay with our old reliable car. We maintain what we have rather than surrounding ourselves with the latest and greatest gadgets. We move toward simple over complex. In making the decision to no longer pursue the latest style, we may feel that we have lost our voice, that we can no longer be heard. We may feel invisible and out of it. It is easy to become observers rather than participants.

Paul warns us that the gospel is not about cutting edge style, it is about substance. As elders in our community we can always be voices for substance. We can continue to put God first in our lives and trust him in all things. We can rely on the salvation of Jesus Christ. We can love our neighbors as ourselves. We can forgive others who have wronged us. We can work for reconciliation in our families and communities. We can endure loss and hardship with grace. We can show compassion and work for justice. One does not need to be stylish to model the substance of the gospel. Paul reminds us that it is God's commendation that counts, and God does not give style points. Let us never grow weary of modeling the substance of the gospel!

How do you choose substance over style?

Generosity

2011-03-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 8:1-15

Many good people have a developed sense of charity--they give to the poor out of their abundance. Often this is tied to their ability to produce. You might hear them say "There is more where that came from." They believe that they will be able to work hard and produce more. When the inability to produce comes or times are hard people may feel the need to pull back, be careful, even hoard what they have. They talk about being frugal. Seniors often find themselves in this position. With the economy unsteady their savings seem less secure. What seemed like a lot of money now seems barely sufficient to last any time at all. Homes are being foreclosed all around them and their own homes, once seen as valuable equity have lost their value and eat up resources in repairs and upkeep. It is time to batten down the hatches, or is it?

Paul's sense of economy is very different. It is an economy in which each person gives what he has and receives what he needs. In this economy there is no shame in being the receiver of what we do not have. But we too are to generously give what we have. What might that look like in today's world? A senior woman who no longer has the ability to climb the step stool to change a light bulb humbly asks for and graciously accepts the help of a neighbor. Her friend down the street has just lost her husband to cancer, so she listens to her grief and comforts her in her sorrow. A widow accept some finanical help when needed and teaches the neighbor child how to make her special recipe for chocolate chip cookies. There is no system of like for like repayment. Everyone is generous with what he or she has and willing to recieve from others what they don't have.

"Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what your need. Then there will be equality, as it is written 'He who gathered much did not have too much and he who gathered littled did not have too little'" (v. 13-15).

In the United States our sense if independence has undermined the early Christian practice of generosity. We believe that we are to depend on ourselves, to spare others from having to be responsible for us. We often feel shame because we have needs that we cannot take care of ourselves. Because of this we have seniors who choose between their food and their medicine. We have those who fail to keep doctor's appointments because they are loath to ask a neighbor for a ride. We fail to mention our needs so that even those who would like to give or share are unable to do so. In our day it is a real challenge to accept and practice Paul's concept of generosity. It is definitely counter-cultural! Let us ask God to help us not to think of generosity only in terms of money. May we become people who give of all our resources as we are able and receive from others all that we need as well.

Into the Breach

2011-03-02T06:26:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 7

Paul was the spiritual father to the Corinthian church. After he had moved on, things in Corinth went terribly wrong. Paul had visited briefly but the visit only made things worse. He has now attempted to deal with the situation by writing a letter that Titus delivered to the church. Paul anxiously waits for Titus to return to see how the church received his rebuke and if it has made any difference. Titus informs Paul that the letter brought about godly sorrow and repentance. Paul rejoices that the church is once again on the right track. Paul is pleased that the Corinthian church expressed genuine sorrow rather than simply giving lip service. They saw the harm that their behavior had caused and desired to make a fresh start.

Many families are like the church at Corinth. Somewhere things have gone terribly wrong and the relationships among its members have broken down. In some families this is expressed by rage. Physical abuse and vulgar words erupt at family gatherings. For others this breach is expressed in passive aggressive ways. Family members are "too busy" to get together and when gathering cannot be avoided, words are expressed in platitudes with no feeling or depth or feeling behind them. Individuals tip toe around to "keep the peace" but there is no genuine unity or harmony.

Paul as the parent of this church felt it his responsibility to enter the breach and attempt to bring healing to the situation. It took courage for him to do this. He did not give up when his first attempt was a disaster. He continued to work and pray for the restoration of the Corinthian church. Often older parents are in a unique position to instigate healing in their families. It is made difficult by the fact that often this healing begins with parents expression sorrow for their own sins that have affected the family in unique ways. Most likely this will mean listening to the hurt that their children express without becoming defensive or retributive. The acts committed may have been unintentional or words said in jest. The parent may even be surprised to hear that harm was done. Sincere listening and godly sorrow as well as a desire to make things right may open up healing for the whole family. Godly sorrow opens the way for others to admit their roles in the breach. On some occasions, like Paul's, healing may require addressing sinful behaviors openly. Denial is no longer an option. Conflict resolution is difficult and something most of us would like to avoid. But, often healing does not come unless issues are directly confronted.

Helping to bring reconciliation and restoration to families is one of the difficult tasks of elderhood. It requires persistence, humility, integrity and loads of patience and love. This task must be bathed in prayer and the guidance and counsel of the Holy Spirit. However, as in Paul's situation, godly sorrow can result in spiritual refreshment, restored confidence in one another, and great joy for all.

When have you been required to enter the breach? What was the result?

Under His Wings

2011-03-01T07:17:00.000-08:00

Psalm 91
Romans 8:35-39

There has been controversy over the centuries about whether or not the believer in God is protected from the tragedies of life. My mother was quite shocked when she started having some of the problems common to aging. She felt that God was not keeping up his end of the bargain. She had been an honorable woman, had kept the commandments, raised her children in the church, and worked hard her whole life. How could God allow this? Hadn't he promised that she would be spared? Isn't that what Psalm 91 promises? It promises refuge, freedom from fear, and that the wicked will be punished but it will not come near you. You will be guarded, no harm will befall you, and no disaster will come near your tent. Angels will be sent to guard you, they will lift you up so that you will not dash your foot against a stone. "I will protect him for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me and I will answer him." Yes, it is easy to see that believers are protected in a way that the wicked are not.

The psalm is discussing the destruction of the wicked. It will be a terrible sight, but the psalm says that the righteous will be spared that punishment. As Christians we know that God through Jesus has saved us. Thousands will fall but it will not come near us.

If we look a little closer, we will begin to see another important thing. Looking at verse 5, it says that you will not fear the terror of night, the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, the plague that destroys at midday. What is being promised is not that those things will never come near you, but that you need not fear them. The psalmist is in the midst of these very things. He is not sitting on some cozy hillside a million miles away. Fear is a great incapacitator. It freezes one in place and inhibits one from moving forward. It makes us literally sick to our stomachs. It scrunches us in so that we can see nothing but the danger. The psalm says that we will not fear. Why? Because we love God and God will protect us because we acknowledge his name. The Lord says "I will be with him in trouble. I will deliver him and honor him." Trouble exists but we are not alone in it. There is nothing that can destroy the essence of our being. God has promised us eternal life. Our outer can waste away, but inwardly we are being renewed.

Paul wraps it up beautifully in Romans 8. "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written 'For you sake we face death all the day long; we are considered sheep to be slaughtered.' No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, not any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Indeed, we are sheltered under his wings.

As a Christian how do you view the protection of God?

Having Nothing, Possessing Everything

2011-02-28T06:14:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 6:1-13

Old age is when the strength of our faith is laid bare for all to see. The layers have been stripped away and we find out whether or not God in Jesus Christ is sufficient in and for all things. When we have nothing, do we still possess everything? This is not just a question that concerns us. It is at this crucial time that we demonstrate to others, especially future generations, whether or not our faith has any validity.

Paul states that he can commend himself, his work, and workers. They have not put any stumbling blocks in anyone's path. In spite of numerous "troubles, hardships and distresses," they have remained faithful. We can identify with some of their hardships--"poverty, imprisonment [being homebound], sleepless nights, regarded as unknown [overlooked, discounted, unappreciated], dying yet living on." Paul adds beatings, being misunderstood, and regarded as impostors to the list. Yet in the midst of all of this Paul and his followers have not blemished the faith they proclaim. They have not caused others to doubt the worth of the One they preach. In the midst of all their hardships they have remained pure. They have been understanding, patient and kind in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love.

When others look at how we face our hardships--the loss of loved ones, the downsizing of our worldly goods, the dwindling of our savings, the loss of productivity, the limitations of the body--do they find that our faith still shines through? Are we sending them the message that even though we have lost so much we have not lost the eternal, central, most precious core of our life? If not, those around may be asking, "What's the point?" Why do all the "churchy" stuff if in the end we end up just like everyone else? If we end up depressed, angry, critical, cynical, self-pitying, and negative--who needs it! This is the time we demonstrate if we have been followers only to see the "signs and wonders" (the outer blessings) or if we are followers of Jesus Christ because we believe in his person and work, we value his friendship, and we know that we will spend eternity with him. Paul, in spite of all the difficulties his apostleship entailed, found Jesus to be sufficient. Even in his worst moments when he had "Nothing", Paul had everything. We too have our all in Jesus. Regardless of how difficult old age may become, Jesus is all we could need or want. He is everything!

What do you need?

Jars of Clay

2011-02-26T05:44:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 4

This text should be ingrained on the heart of every senior! "Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." This reads easily but is not so easy to grasp in reality. We are constantly bombarded with the seen, the reminders that we are wasting away. We are told we must be concerned about the gray hair, the balding, and the wrinkles. I once taught an intergenerational class for the children at church. Its purpose was to connect the youngsters with the oldsters. To get it off the ground I asked the children how they could tell when someone was old. They gave me 17 signs. They didn't miss a thing--not even the liver spots.

Paul is telling us not to be concerned about the deterioration. Obviously he would have us take reasonable care of our bodily health, but not to focus on the things that really don't matter. For in doing so we miss the inner vitality of being renewed day by day. I have found that as I age I have less confidence in my own abilities and become more dependent on the care of the Good Shepherd. Each day he becomes more real to me and I am more aware of his goodness. As war and rebellion break out in different parts of the world, and snowstorms blanket the ground, and earthquakes tumble huge buildings and shake the very ground we stand on, I am assured that God is in charge of the world he created and I need not fear. The unseen becomes very real!

But Paul is making another point as well. It is in our fragile state that Christ is able to shine through. In our prime, it is easy to assume that people succeed because they are gifted, have the breaks, know the right people rather than because of God's goodness. When older people become more isolated, can no longer work as hard as they used to or lose it mentally it is much easier to realize that something/someone beyond the persons themselves is keeping it all together. Christ is allowed to shine through in situations that would normally defeat people. Paul says "We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that his all surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

When our focus in on the unseen and we are being renewed inwardly day by day, the light of Christ shines through our jars of clay. In this we can see our purpose, we become vessels of light in the world of darkness.

How are you renewed day by day?

You Stink

2011-02-23T05:50:00.000-08:00

2 Corinthians 2:14-16
Psalm 78
Galatians 5:22

Many people do not like visiting nursing homes because of the odor. Sometimes the mixture of leaked urine and cleaning potions turns them off. But Paul is not talking about these kinds of odors in 2 Corinthians 2. Paul tells us that we have an aroma, that we emit a smell into the world. And this smell either draws others to Christ through us or repels others from Christ because of us. As we age bodily odors are not the only odors with which we need to be concerned. We need to concern ourselves with the spiritual aroma we emit. On the one hand we might emit odors of fear, insecurity, hopelessness, anger, discontent, criticism, judgment, regret, despair, and distrust. We have become more vulnerable and these aromas might be considered a natural response to a life that is slipping away from our control. It is easy to criticize things we do not understand, and with technology springing forward a mile a minute there is much we do not understand. We acknowledge the anger that comes when we can no longer do the things that used to come easily. It makes sense to feel insecure when the economy is unstable and nations are changing leaders faster than we can assimilate. Discontent comes with boredom and fear can come with the loss of people and things that used to provide our framework. In Psalm 78 God displays his anger because his people have forgotten when he has done for them in the past, and doubt what he can do for them in the future. (See post "Let Us Remember") They have lost faith and the spiritual odor they emit is offensive to God. The aroma they are emitting will certainly not draw others to the One True God!

While some smells turn us off, others draw us to them. Is there any smell better than a ripe strawberry, peach or apple? The fruits of the Spirit also emit smells that encourage people to take a bite. Love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, meekness and self-control are the spiritual odors that draw others to the Christ who lives within us. As life throws us its curve balls, our spiritual response can influence what others believe about our faith and our God.

Paul is not just talking about giving off a good or bad odor. He is also making a point about having a strong odor. Having an odor with the power of attraction or detraction. There are many who give off no strong odor. They are neither offensive or alluring. The are odorless. As elders it is possible while we do not complain, neither do we praise. If so, we are missing an opportunity to perfume our world with faith in God who supplies every need and who loves beyond understanding. We forget that even though we may be doing less, our very being exudes an aroma, an odor that can savor the world around us and send a sweet smell to our Father in heaven. So what's your stink like?

Not My People?

2011-02-22T06:37:00.000-08:00

Hosea 1-2

Psalm 103:9-12

Prophets in the Old Testament were individuals chosen to speak the word of the Lord to the people. Today we have massive amounts of verbage available in book, on TV, computer, and IPad, in fact we are constantly bombarded with words. For anyone who wants to hear the word of the Lord, it is readily available. But in Hosea's day, it was the propet who spoke and demonstrated God's message to his people. Hosea in his role as prophet was told to act out a parable. He was to marry a prostitute and remain faithful to her despite her adulterous conduct. He was to demonstrate the fact that although God was angry at Israel's behavior--that of seeking and worshipping other gods--he was still their God and he longed for them to be his people. God demonstrated his anger by removing his protection and withholding his benefits toward them. He showed them his love by receiving them and restoring his blessings to them when they truned back to him once again.

This book of the Bible is a wonderful reminder that God does not long to condemn or punish. He longs to forgive and restore. No matter how bad the betrayal, if there is repentance of heart, and a turning from sin, God will receive the sinner once again. "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved" (John 3:17).

By the time one reaches the senior years, almost everyone has things in their life to regret. Times they wandered far away from God, choices made outside the will of God, deeds hurtful to others, or behaviors harmful to themselves. While our head knows the truth of forgiveness, we often carry around the sense that we have failed God and that He must be disappointed in us. Perhaps we believe that we are only tolerated, not truly loved. We feel that we aren't worthy of being used for His Kingdom. The story of Hosea shows that God not only forgives but truly receives us again as His people. God is shown to be not some distant demigod afar off, but a husband who intimatley loves his bride.

It is important that we no longer hold on to old regrets and memories of past failures. We must fully accept the salvation provided by the God of love. If God no longer remembers what we have done, then we must not hold on to it either. "He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our trangressions from us" (Psalm 103:9-12). Are you holding on to regrets? Things that God no longer remembers? Is it dampening your joy and holding you back from service? God longs for you to be completerly restored. "Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

What are you holding on to?

The Vine

2011-02-21T06:11:00.000-08:00

John 15:1-8

Few Christians have gotten far in their faith without hearing a sermon on the True Vine. I have always believed the necessity of being attached to our source, the Lord Jesus Christ. Without him, we can do nothing. But today I was thinking about how being attached to the Jesus connects us with a whole "eco-system." Jesus is the source, but that source of life connects us to the warm sunshine, the nutrients of the soil, the moisture of the water. And because of this we can see abundant, beautiful, ripe fruit. When we are cut off, we are not only cut off from the Vine but also from all the others connected to him that contribute to our abundant nurture.

Just recently I was feeling cut off. It seemed that things were out of sync. I was feeling restless even though my times with the Lord were meaningful. I wondered if I should be doing something else, hanging out with different people, or simply withdraw for a while. Then something happened that showed me what I would be losing if I were to be cut off from the community to which I belong.

My grandnephew, a young man filled with life, promise and passion for the Lord, was killed in a repelling accident in the caves of Georgia. We were all stunned. We know he is with the Lord, but lament all that life and potential taken from us. Within hours the Christian community that Grant had touched in so many different ways, gathered around us to support and give us exactly what we needed, often before we even knew we needed it. Families opened their homes to out of town guests. The Baptist church across the street from our Presbyterian church opened their fellowship hall to house the over 200 students coming from Grant's university. Young Life lovingly provided a family dinner, which they quietly and efficiently set and cleaned up. The church family organized a dinner to serve the over 600 people who attended the service. The motel across the street from the church permitted the university students to swim and have a birthday party for Grant who would have been 21 on the day after his funeral. And the list goes on encompassing the smallest detail--each person and group contributing their gifts. While this is happening on a grand scale due to the unusual circumstances and attention to Grant's death, I had seen this same generosity offered to us when my mother died. Mother was not even a member of the church. But the women of the church pulled together to provide a lovely reception for our small family gathering, brought food for us, sent cards, and continued to support and love us through our grief. Theses gifts nurtured our souls, feeding us so that we in turn can minister to others who suffer loss.

It is tempting as we age, to desire independence. To prove that we can handle things ourselves, that we don't need help, and that we haven't lost it yet. But, once again I am reminded that we are part of a vine--a vine that has many branches and leaves, which together produce a beautiful, rich harvest. One grape would barely wet the tongue. It is true that we are called to give of ourselves to others, but it is also true that we are to receive from one another. Grant's death is a witness to the wider community, both of those who are giving and those who are gratefully receiving from the vine of our Lord. Without him we can do nothing. With him we are reaping a harvest of compassion, hospitality, care, shared grief, mutual tears, love, encouragement,wisdom and simple presence. Jesus came to heal the broken hearted and slowly we feel our hearts being mended.

Let Them Eat Bread

2011-02-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

Exodus 16:9-15

John 6:25-35

Americans are bombarded with reminders that we are responsible for having enough money to provide for our retirement--even many years into the future. It is human to want to feel secure--to know that we will always have a roof over our heads, food in the cupboard, gas in the tank. Moses give the Israelites some directions that he received directly from God. The people are to collect only enough manna for one day, except for the sixth day when they were to collect enough for the Sabbath--a day of rest. When some gathered more, it soon went moldy and they were punished for their disobedience. God wanted them to depend on his reliability not their own ability to glean. Jesus taught us to pray "Give us this day our daily bread." We are to be continually reminded that it is not we who provide for ourselves, it is God who provides for us. And it may be that our excessive lust for security has denied others their daily bread. As people around me were talking about how much they had lost during the recent economic downturn, I wondered about the hungry around the world that could have benefited from that "secured" money which is now non-existent. True, we are called to be prudent, but most of all we are to know that our source is God and that he is able to provide for us day by day. Our generosity is not to be curbed by our desire for security.

Jesus had fed thousands of people with miraculous bread. And so they continued to seek him for the bread that he was able to provide. He told them, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw the miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. . . . I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry and he who believes will never go thirsty" (John 6:26-27, 35). We have misdirected our priorities. We labor long hours in order to provide for ourselves and if there is any time left we seek time with God. Jesus calls us to feed on his word and be filled with his spirit, then we will know that we are provided for day by day from the hands of our heavenly Father. As we come to know our true source, God is able to pour his riches through us to others who will then come to know him as Father as well. It is in this manner that God provides for his people. Our failure to trust him day by day creates a bottleneck for his generosity. Our insistent need to provide for ourselves distracts us from getting to know the bread of life and it is in knowing him we will never be truly hungry or thirsty. Let us continue to pray in faith: Father, give us this day our daily bread.

Into the Pit of Grief

2011-02-12T08:43:00.000-08:00

Psalm 88
Isaiah 60:1-3

Grief is an integral part of a senior's life. Our church had over twenty funerals last year. Each of those memorialized individuals were grieved by numerous friends and family, mostly elderly. There is one woman in our church who grieved the loss of her husband, daughter, and best friend all in the course of six months. I have heard many seniors say "It seem as if all I do is attend funerals these days." Grief can consume and/or numb us. If we have not faced it yet, we know grief is just around the corner, we can see it in the frailty of our elderly.

Psalm 88 is one of the few psalms that does not end in resolution.There are many psalms that begin with negative emotions but end declaring the goodness of God. This psalm has no such ending. The language is raw. "My soul is full of trouble . . . like a man without strength . . . Set apart with the dead . . . in the lowest pit . . . overwhelmed with waves . . . you have taken my closest friends and made me repulsive to them [any widow knows to put on a brave face if they what company] . . . my eyes are dim with grief." In the latter part of the psalm he cries to the Lord who seems far away and indifferent to what is happening to him.

I recall a part of a ditty that we used to say when we were young. I can't remember the context or even why we would want to repeat it but it went: "Nobody loves me, everybody hates me, thinks me go eat worms and die" and this might be an appropriate ending to the psalm. Scripture does not duck the hard issues of life and facing grief is one of the hardest. This psalm allows us to feel pain with integrity--no quick fixes. Grief hurts in the deepest part of us. God knows that eventually the light will shine again, but in the meantime it is allowable to express the terrible loss we feel.

Grief takes longer than the six weeks we normally allow for those in grief to get back into the swing of things. Isaiah states that the Messiah will come to "comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor" (Isaiah 60:3-5). We all know that oaks are not grown in a short season. Those of us who grieve can use Psalm 88 to express the grief we feel. And we can take our time and experience it fully.

"All other religions either try to avoid pain or make one immune to it so that it will no longer be felt. This isn't the Gospel approach. The cross remains a human reality but the Gospel gives meaning to it, and that fact makes the difference. Once we know that suffering has a purpose or at least we can believe that there is meaning to it, we can endure much more. That is the Gospel message--that suffering need not be a loss. People can grow bitter through suffering but they can also become beautiful. And that latter serves as a grace to others. Their suffering has made them transparent, more open, wise and gentle. In them, we see the fruitfulness of the cross. Pain can glorify us and make us radiant and give a fruitfulness to our lives" (As Bread That Is Broken, Peter G. van Breeman).

Those of us who long to comfort the grieving can recognize their time for suffering and give them latitude to express their grief openly. We can hold them in our arms as they cry into our chest even when it makes us confront our own vulnerability--no doubt a costly gift to them. We can accept the raw hurt and anger they express without doubting their faith. Then God in his time and in his way will bring their beauty, gladness, and praise as oaks of righteousness to a fullness that will richly bless us all.

Traveling On

2011-02-11T13:18:00.000-08:00

Psalm 84

The saints of old tell us that we are pilgrims on a journey and as we all know, constant traveling is wearisome. We long "to be there." Like children we call out "How much longer? I want to get out of the car." Sometimes we just want to settle in even if the place where we are isn't home. We're tired.

Our psalmist says "Blessed are those whose strength is in you who have set their hearts on pilgrimage." It takes strength from God to "keep on keeping on." And according the the psalmist the journey does not end until we appear before God in Zion. To encourage us he tells us "Better in one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere. . . . For the Lord is a sun and a shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless." This world is not our home. It is important to remember this or we will try to hold onto and settle for something less than the best, God's best. Without a doubt it is hard to keep going when our tired, outer body is wearing out and travel becomes difficult--when our steps are less sure, our minds less clear, our vision less focused and our spirits tried and tested.

Paul encourages us "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

The writer to the Hebrews reminds us "Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. . . you knew then you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. . . We are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved "(Hebrews10:32-39).

So, pick up that backpack, hit the road, the end is in sight and it will be beyond anything we can imagine. No good thing will God withhold from those who love him and stay the course to the end. All is ours if we do not grow weary and lose hope. So let it be!

Foul Weather Friends

2011-02-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

Psalm 78:32-end
Revelation 3:1-6

We are all familiar with friends who like to hang around when things are going well, but seem to disappear when times get tough. They like to share in the success, but are loath to participate in lean times. God is angered by just the opposite. In the Israelites, he does not have fair-weather friends, but foul-weather friends. The Israelites live a familiar cycle. They are in deep trouble and they cry on the Lord to save them. He does. And no sooner does he save them when they say "thanks so very much, we can take it from here."

"Whenever God slew them, they would seek him; they eagerly turned to him again. They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer. But then [once they were on their feet again] they would flatter him with their mouths, lying to him with their tongues; their hearts were not loyal to him, they were not faithful to his covenant." (Ps. 78:35-37).

Once the people had been restored they once again took their lives into their own hands, and soon forgot God. They did the outer observances but their hearts were not in it. They failed to keep his commandments. When things once again turned sour, they failed to remember the times that God had been there for them and doubted that God could save them. They tested him. "Time after time he restrained his anger and did not stir up his full wrath. He remembered that they were but flesh, a passing breeze that does not return" (vv. 38-39). We shake our heads and say "Why didn't they ever learn?" But are we any different? Things get tough--we get that diagnosis, our finances get shaky, our mate dies, our home is foreclosed and immediately God becomes our best friend. Then the problem is resolved--we make it through the treatment, the economy improves, we move beyond our grief, and we find new lodgings. Life settles back into its routine. Those long impassioned prayers are gone. Our minds drift during the worship service, we become too busy for daily devotions. "I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die for I have not found your deeds complete [they are sporadic and inconsistent] in the sight of my God. Remember therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you" (Rev. 3:1-3). God longs for consistent friends. He does not just want those who appear alive on the outside but are dead to his Spirit within. He does not want only foul-weather friends. He wants those who will love and serve him fair weather or foul--those who remember who him at all times. He will return, will he find you being his friend?

Let Us Remember

2011-02-09T06:05:00.001-08:00

Psalm 78:1-31

Many elders are distressed that their children, and therefore their grandchildren, are not involved in a church. After reading Psalm 78:1-31 this morning, I am wondering if we are putting our emphasis in the wrong place. For many, church is seen as some kind of a magical protection against the badness of the world out there. If we can only get them to come to church everything will be all right. The psalmist takes a different approach. For him, it is not about getting the children into the temple, it is about telling them of God's wonders, goodness and faithfulness and demonstrating it in our own lives. The primary focus is the parents living the truth and sharing that truth with their children.

"We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power and the wonders he has done . . . [then] they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. They would not be like their forefathers--a stubborn and rebellious generation whose hearts were not loyal to God, whose spirit were not faithful to him." The emphasis here, is not in telling the children about the temple or the law, but being loyal and faithful to and about God. Is is about recounting the activity of God in the people's lives.

God had done mighty deeds in the lives of the Israelites. He had brought them out of Egypt. He had parted the Red Sea. He had fed them manna from heaven. He had brought water out of the rock. But they noiw doubted his ability to care for them. "When the Lord heard them, he was very angry . . . for they [the people of God, the people he had rescued] did not believe in God or trust in his deliverance." On the one hand we encourage our children to attend church and lead moral lives and on the other we often fail to trust God's deliverance in our own lives. "Why doesn't God heal me?" "How will I get by when my investments have lost so much money?" "What in the world is going to happen to me now that I am getting old?" "Why is God making me suffer?" Sometimes we are like the Israelites doubting whether God is still able to do great things in our lives and our children hear every doubt. Why should they care about a religion that holds out so little hope to their elders? Simply going to church doesn't cut it.

The psalmist encourages us to remember and recount to future generations, God's goodness in our lives. This does two things. It reminds us of God's goodness to us in countless ways--the sin that he has forgiven and empowered us to overcome; the people he has brought into our lives who have changed us in meaningful ways (teacher, spouse, mentor, pastor, boss); the opportunities he has opened up; the ways in which he has provided for us spiritually and materially. The list is endless. Every recounting builds up our own faith and trust that God is loving and good and that he will continue to care for us in all things. This in turn helps us to give a faithful witness of trust and hope to our children and children's children. We present to them, not a church made up of fallible people and unfamiliar ritual, but a God who is mighty, a God who can save, a God whose presence gives meaning to life! And, who doesn't need this?

First Love

2011-02-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

Revelation 2:1-11

In a vision, St. John has been given messages for the seven churches of his day. Each message begins with an acknowledgment of their good qualities. The church at Ephesus is recognized for its hard work and perseverance--it has not grown weary of well-doing. It has been a discerning church. It has not allowed the wicked to infiltrate and distort its message. There is much to commend. How then can John caution them about how far they have fallen? Aren't they on the right track? No! They have become side tracked on a "good" but not the "best" track. Their focus has become good deeds and keeping their doctrine and leaders pure. What's wrong with this? Aren't these things important? Yes they are, but not the most important thing. The most important thing is keeping their first love, Jesus Christ, the center of everything.

When we enter the latter third of our lives, something starts to happen. We recognize our vulnerability and almost immediately we move toward self-protection. We look at our finances to see if we have enought to retire and still have our needs (and wants) met. All of a sudden stock reports and financial pages become vital. We talk with others and the topic of conversations is what they are doing to provide for themselves. We get to know our bank's financial advisor. We begin to be more careful in our spending. We become a little less generous because we don't know what lies ahead.

We become much more aware of our bodily concerns. We increase our visits to the various doctors for preventative health care. We have our bodies poked, prodded, stuck and scanned. We diet and exercise. We make sure we have our antioxidants. We swallow our multivitamins for the over-fifty crew and take our blood pressures at least once a day. We listen to every doctor who makes an appearance on the daily talk shows for clues that might increase our quality and length of life. We make sure that we have medical insurance that will cover our knee and hip replacements. We have long-term care in place.

We think of our time and how we want to spend it. We make our "bucket lists"--all the places we want to explore or revisit, things we want to do, and people we want to visit before we die. And we knock the items off the list one by one.

So, aren't all these things good? What's wrong with doing any of them? Nothing! Like the church at Ephesus we are to be commended. We are to be good stewards of our money, caretakers of our body, and enjoyers of the world that God created and lovers of the people he has placed in our lives. BUT of we are not careful we subtly replace our first love with these other loves--self-preservation, family, travel and leisure activities, or money. Jesus is to be our first love and if he is not, John tells us we are to repent, go back to the beginning and remember what it was like when we first heard the gospel. How does it feel to know that your sins are forgiven? Do you remember that you are deeply loved by God? Do you know how wonderful it is to spend time in his presence? Can you hardly wait to be with him?

In the midst of many good things, don't forsake your first love!

The Face of God

2011-02-07T06:53:00.000-08:00

Psalm 72

Are we what we do? When we can no longer do are we worth less? Several years ago a famous London conductor and his wife entered a clinic and without ceremony ended their lives by injection. Their reasoning was that they were now a burden to their children and a drain on the system responsible for attending their infirmities. The news journal in which I read this article presented this as a noble act. For, is it not better to finish it all when our usefulness has ended and we require more than we can contribute?

Jesus began his Sermon on the Mount with the words, "Blessed are the poor, Blessed are the hungry, Blessed are they that mourn [who have lost everything], Blessed are those who are rejected and hated [and don't we reject being old, and the elderly as they remind us of our own destiny?] In other words, those on the very bottom of the rung are blessed. Why? Because it is in their vulnerability that God is able to act. Our Psalm declares: "For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help. He will take pity on the weak and the needy and save the needy from death. He will rescue them from oppression and violence, for precious is their blood in his sight." Jesus saw those at the bottom as having great worth not because of what they were able to do or produce, but because in them and for them he was able to do great things. Those who are healthy and active don't seem to need others to do for them--not even God! After all, they have it all together. They can do it themselves thank you very much! God is seldom seen or given any credit for what they accomplish.

It is in the poor that one may see the loving and compassionate care of God. It is in the old lady who embraces her poverty with a glowing sweetness and trust that one sees the provision of God. It is in those who have lost husbands and wives of many years and still continue on, that one sees the strength of God. It is in the lives of those who bravely face difficult treatments that one sees the courage of God. It is in those whose minds are fading that one sees the depth of God. When they have lost all else, they still remember "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound."

It may be true that our elders can no longer produce and that they cost us in dollars and cents. they also require an unselfishness that many are loathe to put forth. But, if we were to take these saints from our midst, where would we so plainly see the face of God?

Show and Tell

2011-02-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

Psalm 71
Matthew 28

It is easy to witness to God's goodness when we are in our prime. We are filled with energy, business or vocation is going well, we know the respect of our peers, the children are doing well, the grandchildren are charming us, and life is going pretty much according to the script. Indeed, God is good. But then things subtly begin to change. We retire and others take our place. We become an outsider instead of a "mover and shaker." We discover our fixed incomes while prices continue to rise. We find ourselves busy but less productive, less needed. Our Psalm says that we are a portent to many. In other words, we become a demonstration of what is ahead for those coming after us--good or bad.

We don't know for sure who wrote this psalm. It is not specifically accredited to David. But whoever it was, tells of his faith beginning as a child, "From birth I have relied on You. You brought me forth from my mother's womb." He proclaims that he has trusted in God. God has been his rock, his refuge, his hope, his confidence. And now he prays, "Do not cast me away when I am old, do not forsake me when my strength is gone." He goes on to say "As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone. . . .Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I have declared your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come."

This psalmist may be old and gray but he has an amazing sense of purpose. He has stories to tell. Stories of God's faithfulness, God's provision, God's care and protection. And even now as he writes this psalm, he is continuing to trust his loving God to be faithful. "Low I am with you always," said our Lord to the disciples as he vanishes from their sight. Even as the psalmist is losing his own strength, he is declaring God's strength toward him and for his benefit.

We all have stories to tell, stories of God's love toward us. We, who have known his care are and provision from birth and even in our declining physical state as we continue to know his care, his presence and his love, have a job to do. We are to declare the good news to all who will listen, "God is good. Yes, He is still good!"

Finally the psalmist talks about the enemies in his old age. We might think of them as disease, illness, poverty, and the final one--death. All of these enemies will be soundly defeated, "put to shame and confusion." They will not conquer us. "My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you--I, whom you have redeemed. My tongue will tell of your righteous acts all the day long."

Do you moan and groan all the day long, or tell the continuing stories of God's love and faithfulness?

Dry Bones

2011-02-04T05:47:00.001-08:00

The kingdom of Israel is scattered like dry bones in the desert and God is telling Ezekiel once again to prophesy to the people. God will bring the bones back together and the Lord says to these bones "I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord." As Ezekiel begins his prophecy, he hears the noise of the bones being brought together. They are en fleshed and skin covers them, but there was no breath in them. There is no life in them until the Spirit of God breathes into "the slain that they might live."

In our culture we are big on bones, tendons, and flesh. Many senior women take medication to strengthen their fragile bones. Work out centers and YMCA's are filled with seniors who faithfully exercise to preserve their muscle tone, strength and endurance. Advertisers produce glamorous ads encouraging us to use creams to preserve the skin, botox to combat the wrinkles, and hair dye to disguise the gray hairs that age our appearance and remind us that the end is near. Yes, we are truly big on body image. Ezekiel would have us know that in spite of all our efforts to assemble a fit body, if the breath of God is not in us, there is no life. It is true that it might be possible to extend years and look younger, but real life has little to do with body image. Real life, full life, energizing life comes from the Spirit of God breathing its life into us. And if that spirit-life is within us it will exude life even if the body itself is deteriorating. Paul says: "Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

So how about you? Where are you putting your "eyes"? On preserving a body that is wasting away? Or are your eyes fixed on the unseen? Is the Holy Spirit breathing its life in you day by day? Are you exuding a life and energy that comes from within? Is that life growing more into the likeness of Jesus Christ with each passing day? In your spirit being made ready to occupy that wonderful new body that Christ has for you upon his return?

Now, obviously, there is balance need here. We are meant to care for our bodies, they are the present temple of the Holy Spirit. But when the attention becomes more on the upkeep of the deteriorating structure than in nourishing the Spirit within, we are in trouble. As we age I believe we are meant to accept the fact that these present dry bones are wasting away in order to make room for the wondrous new bodies that God has prepared for us (1 Corinthians 4)--those that have glory, power and spiritual depth. The wasting away holds great promise for something new taking its place. We live in hope that this life, this body are not ending, but merely transitioning to something far better. So, let it be!

Rest in God Alone

2011-02-02T06:20:00.000-08:00

Psalm 62

"My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." Psalm 62:1-2

The process of aging shakes a person up. Slowly and over time everything is challenged. First we notice that our sight and hearing are not what they once were. We need the bifocals and hearing aids. Shortly thereafter, we notice our peers are being hit with illness and disease at an alarming rate and some of them die an "untimely" death. "Who would have thought they would be gone so soon?" They leave holes where their friendships have been. We too soon find that no matter how well we have taken care of ourselves, we begin to disintegrate. It's time for the replacements and implants--knees, hips, shoulders, lenses, and valves. Our stamina and endurance go. We feel pain in our joints and our muscles scream after over-exertion. We block in time for the afternoon nap. Perhaps what concerns us most is our mental decline. We forget familiar names, the perfect word, and scheduled appointments (What day of the week is it?) It takes so much longer to learn something new. We begin to lose our hold on a culture that is zooming forward at breakneck speed. We had thought we we well financed only to have the economy take a downward turn. We long to be close to our grandchildren, but they speak a language that has no meaning to us--"twitter," "IPod," and "rad." We become strangers in a world that we once owned. While some of these things may be delayed by a disciplined diet and exercise program along with preventative health measures, eventually most of us will encounter at least some breakdown. David refers to himself as a "leaning wall, a tottering fence," and we can identify with him.

But David is wise enough to know that he needs a refuge higher and other than himself. If we are depending on our own strength, wisdom and endurance we will be in a sorry state. "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.". . . "Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him for God is our refuge. . . . Though your riches increase do not set your heart on them. . . . One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong, and that you, O Lord, are loving."

When everything around us is shaken we too can depend on two things. God is strong. He is more than able to be our rock and shield, to protect us and be with us throughout whatever assails us. And two, God is loving. He is not distant or uncaring. "Cast all your anxiety on him for he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) He longs to shelter us under his wings and love us through the transition from this kingdom to the next. We too, can rest in him alone and not be shaken.

The Good Shepherd

2011-02-01T06:02:00.000-08:00

Psalms 57-58
Ezekiel 34:17-end
Matthew 27:11-26
John 10

The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." In Matthew 27, we see that Jesus did not struggle to save his life. Before his accusers, he was dumb. He did not beg to be released. He did not try to tell them who he was, or that they were making a mistake. He didn't defend himself or his actions. He willingly gave up his life for his sheep--you and me. Why would he do that? What was his purpose? Well, for one, Jesus told his disciples "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:2b-4, NIV)

What is that place like? Ezekiel gives us a wonderful description. "I will save my flock, and they will no longer be plundered. . . . I will make a covenant of peace with them and rid the land of wild beasts so that they may live in the desert and sleep in the forests in safety. (For a good description of the wild beasts read Psalms 57-58). . . . There will be showers of blessing. . . . The trees of the field will yield their fruit and the ground will yield its crops, the people will be secure in their land. They will know that I am the Lord, when I break the bars of their yoke and rescue them from the hands of those who enslave them. . . . They will live in safety and no one will make them afraid. . . . They will know that I the Lord their God will be with them and that they are my people. . . .You, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture, are people, and I am your God, declares the Sovereign Lord."

The kingdom of God is a place of rest, safety, and absence of fear--a place of blessing and productivity. It is a place of freedom. But most of all it is a place where our loving God rules over his much loved people. Times, now, are hard. We see violence and hatred on every side--gang-bangers, terrorists, predators, war-mongers, and they terrify us. We see destruction in the form of floods, global warming, tsunamis, tornadoes, ice and snow storms, hurricanes, wild fires, mud slides, and earthquakes and we are afraid. We see disease and illness, mental and physical, come upon those we love, and fear them for ourselves, and we are devastated. These "wild beasts" attack us, yet God promises a Shepherd from the line of David who will come and make a place of peace, productivity, and rest for us that where he is, we may also be. O come quickly our Shepherd, Lord Jesus.

Betrayed!

2011-01-31T05:48:00.001-08:00

Psalm 55; Ezekiel 34:1-17
Matthew 27:1-11
Psalm 23, John 10

I am amazed at how many people have felt betrayed by their pastors, church leaders, or fellow Christians. We come with such high expectations--finally "we have found a home, a family, a place to belong, people to trust." We open up and allow ourselves to be known. We place trust in leaders. And then it happens--the pastor runs off with the church secretary, sexually abuses a child, absconds with the building fund, betrays a confidence, gossips, or simply lets us down in our time of greatest need.

David was betrayed. He states "If an enemy were insulting me I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God" [who betrayed me.] (Psalm 55) Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by his disciple and friend, Judas.

God tells Ezekiel to reprimand the shepherds of Israel saying, "Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should shepherds not take care of the sheep? . . . You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth and no one searched or looked for them" (vv.2b-6). People are often "scattered" because they have felt betrayed by those in whom they trusted.

Betrayal is a fact of life and if we fail to overcome betrayal we are wounded for life. We become self-protective, distrustful, cynical, angry, suspicious and critical. but how can we possibly overcome such great hurt? The answer is by following the True Shepherd (John 10). One who is not only willing to die for his sheep, but actually does die for the sheep. One who will never fail and who gives us the grace to forgive those humans who have failed us. God tells Ezekiel "I myself, will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness . . . I will pasture them . . . I will tend them . . . I will search for the lost and bring back the strays. I will bind up the injured and strengthen the weak . . . (vv. 11-16).

Do not stay scattered by bitterness. Allow the Shepherd to do his work in you. Let him bind your wounds and bring you back into the fold where you will be cared for once again. Yes, humans are fallible and they have the power to hurt you, and perhaps you will be hurt again, but the True Shepherd binds the wounds and brings you into safe pasture, satisfies your thirst with cool water, and prepares you a feast in the presence of your enemies. David knew this, do you? "The Lord is my shepherd."

Prophetic Entertainment

2011-01-29T05:23:00.001-08:00

Psalm 51
Ezekiel 33:21-33
2 Timothy 4:3-4

Many of us have spent a lifetime of Sundays in church. We are soothed by the familiar format of the service: the favorite hymns, the recitation of prayers, the choir in their flowing robes, the pastor as he reads from familiar scripture, and the comfort of sharing the communion bread and wine. However, we leave church much as we have entered. Little has changed. We head off to our Sunday brunch, gather to watch the game, take a nap, and plan for the day ahead.

The prophet Ezekiel tell us that the people of Israel have entered the exile. His prophetic words have become truth. Ezekiel has become somewhat of a celebrity. Excitedly the people gather to hear what this gifted and inspired preacher will say. Ezekiel tells them that God has a message for them. "My people come to you [Ezekiel], as they usually do, and sit before you to listen to your words, but they do not put them into practice. With their mouths they express devotion, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice."

Paul tells Timothy much the same thing. "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

David tell us that God does not want sacrifice simply for the sake of sacrifice. He wants broken hearts and contrite spirits. Hearts that are open to hear and obey his voice.

Does the Word of the Lord still have the power to move you? Is your daily life changed by hearing the Word? Or have you become one who loves the soothing sound of the beautifully crafted word that falls on the itching ear, but results in nothing?

Regret

2011-01-28T05:46:00.001-08:00

As we move from mid-life into early elderhood, it is common for us to look back over our lives. While there may be much to be grateful for, almost everyone has things to regret. Goals we have failed to accomplish, places we never went, things we wish we had done, things we wish we had not done, this is the normal pattern for us all. But there are those who carry not only regret, but deep wasting-away guilt for lives lived outside of the love of God. There are those of us who rebelled as youths causing parents to suffer worry or embarrassment. Some of us made an unwise or sinful choice of a spouse, or failed to live up to our marriage commitment. We suffered through divorce, sometimes causing our children great harm. There are those who put so much effort into business success that they never really got to know their own families. There are those who participated in acts of war that haunt them to this very day. There are those who had wonderful opportunities presented to them but in laziness or fear let the chance slip by unattended. Addictions may have marred our life and the lives of those around us. This normal period of reflection may for some be a painful period of self-reproach. With one hand we live in gratitude for our salvation and the goodness of our God, but with the other hand hidden in shadow we decry the sins of our earlier life.

Ezekiel has some words for those of us living in regret or guilt. The first is that we are watchmen. We know about destruction. We can see the future for those coming after us as they proceed down the dark paths with which we are so familiar. He calls out for us to warn them. The Lord says, "When I say to the wicked, 'O wicked man, you will surely die, and you don't speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself (NIV)." This sounds really harsh, but it is incumbent on us to share our stories (especially those in which we are not the hero) with others. We are responsible to tell them that sin results in death and that God longs to save. God says to Ezekiel "Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their wicked ways and live. Turn! Turn ! Why will you die?'" (NIV)

The second thing that Ezekiel tells us is that to the best of our ability we are to make amends. We are to say we are sorry, ask to be forgiven and make right what is in our power to make right. We are not to bury those memories in the sand. "And if I say to the wicked man, 'You will surely die' but he turns away from his sin and does what is right--if he gives back what he took in pledge for a loan, returns what he has stolen, follows the decrees that give life, and does no evil, he will surely live; he will not die. None of the sins he has committed will be remembered against him. He has done what is just and right; he will surely live (NIV)" declares the Sovereign Lord.

IF we have done all that we can do to make amends, and to amend our lives, we are called to live in the grace and forgiveness of our Lord. We are not to drown in regret or guilt. Instead we are to live boldly and gratefully in the joy of the Lord who has given us new life for evermore. Amen

Just One Hour

2011-01-27T05:23:00.000-08:00

An hour isn't much time. A single episode of a TV drama, a church service, a quick trip the mall, a typical college class all seem to happen in the blink of an eye. Not much time at all really. What was it that Jesus wanted his disciples to do with an hour? He wanted them to watch with him as his time of trial and death approached. Instead, they fell asleep. Perhaps like us, they used sleep as an escape. The future was too sad, too painful and threatening to think about. Jesus was overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death and still they slept. He wakes them and says that they must watch in order to be saved from the temptations that they will face and leaves once again to face his own temptations. Again, they fall into sleep. Jesus, however, has once again prayed and is now ready to face what will befall him."Rise, let us go." The disciples are well-rested but totally unprepared for what will befall them. In fact, when it comes, they fall flat on their faces.

What we have here is the difference between escaping and preparing. Our culture does not talk about real death. We love violence but prefer it when our dead leap to life again to be seen in another episode. Hospitals, doctor's offices, and nursing homes are filled with the noise of innocuous television shows talking nonsense, because to their occupants, silence is unwanted. Facing our mortality threatens us. We too prefer to escape from our fearful thoughts. Jesus tells us this kind of escape is dangerous. We are missing the opportunity to prepare. Through prayer, Jesus moved from terror to courage and trust. We are growing old and death will come to us all. For Christians death itself will hold no fear. Yet the process itself is unknown and may be as difficult for us as it was for Jesus. But we too can watch with Him "one hour" and move from our fears to trust and dependence on the Father. We too can display faith and gain courage. What are you doing with your hour? Are you preparing or escaping?

Note: Scriptures for these blogs are from the Book of Common Prayer readings for morning and evening.

MINDSET

2011-01-24T04:57:00.000-08:00

Matthew 25:31-46

True spirituality is an inner work. We put on the mind of Christ, then our actions proceed from that mind to be the image of Christ. It becomes a natural way of life. It is a gift for anyone who will accept it and work it out in their daily life.

St. John of the Cross gives the following advice: "First, let us have a habitual desire to imitate Christ in everything that we do, conforming ourselves to His life; upon which life we must meditate, so that we may know how to imitate it and to behave in all things as Christ would have done. (AS I, 13,3)

This must not be merely exterior and material imitation of Jesus' acts. We must endeavor to enter into the interior dispositions of His soul, so as to make these dispositions our own, according to the counsel of St. Paul "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). In this way, the imitation of Jesus is based on what is most profound and vital, that is, His intimate dispositions, which constitute the interior principles of his actions. This putting on the "mind" of Christ is within the reach of all, whatever our state or condition of life, [Ital. mine], whereas the exterior imitations of the life of Jesus can never be complete, since it always varies according to the circumstances in which one finds oneself. (Divine Intimacy, "I Am the Way", Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, O.C.D., p. 167.)

In Matthew 25, the King points out that "the sheep" (his people) have done their good deeds without even being consciously aware of it. He is not praising the big programs that everyone acknowledges. He is praising the unconscious acts done in His name. In other words resulting from His life and disposition within us. The people respond "When did we do this?" It is not the grand projects but the lifestyle he is commending. Sharing that sandwich with someone at the end of a very lean month. Visiting that elderly nursing home or homebound relative or friend. Welcoming that new neighbor with a covered dish, or taking a casserole to a grieving family. Attending the funeral of a friend in order to let the family know how valued their loved one was. Including that unconnected friend at a holiday dinner--the natural, normal things that seems so ordinary that they hardly deserve attention. It surprises us to think that these are the things that Jesus praises.

And it is these kinds of things for which one does not need to be young. Maybe we no longer have it in us to start a prison ministry, or direct a soup kitchen, or volunteer at our local public school. But we all have it in us to listen to others (especially members of our own family or residential community) with compassion. We can share what we have--especially our kind words, wisdom, hope and courage. We can share our stories of God's faithfulness and His marvelous intervention in our lives. We can make it easy for those who are trying to help us by being unselfish, uncomplaining, appreciative and adaptable. We can learn to accept gracefully the limitations that come our way. We can cheerfully express our gratitude for life and all the abundance that God has given.

This disposition comes not as a striving to do the right thing, but as an outward flow of our inner Christ-like mind. We can receive that mind as a gift by being in His presence, absorbing his disposition through the work of the Holy Spirit, and learning and imitating His ways. May we all have the mindset of Christ. Amen.

WHO'S TO BLAME?

2011-01-22T06:27:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel18:1-20
Matthew 25:14-30

We live in a climate of blame. Children blame their parents, parents blame their children. The Israelites had a proverb saying "The fathers eat the sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge." In other words the parents act and the children suffer the consequences. Most of us would agree with this. We parents assume a lot of responsibility for how our children turn out. What's not to agree with? We think that if our child is a model student, it reflects on our good parenting. If our child fails in school, uses drugs, becomes a unethical business man, is unable to establish a good marriage and home, or becomes a street person, we wonder where we went wrong and may spend hours wondering what we could or should have done differently. Sometimes we cringe with embarrassment when others tout the laurels of their children.

It is surprising to find that God tells the people that they should not use this maxim. He goes on to tell the people:"If the father 'does what is right and just--does not follow idols, defile his neighbor's wife, oppress anyone, gives his food to the hungry and provides clothing for the naked, withholds his hand from doing wrong, and faithfully follows My decrees and keeps My laws, that man is righteous and he will surely live.'" But if the son does not do these thing the son will surely die. Just the opposite is true. If the son is righteous and the father is sinful, the son will live and the father will surely die. We are not talking perfection in either case. We are saying that a man whose heart, soul, mind and strength are toward the Lord will live and the one whose heart, soul, mind, and strength are against the Lord will die. If one starts out evil and turns to the Lord he will be saved. If one starts out righteous but turns to evil, he will die. The Sovereign Lord goes on to say. "I will judge each according to his ways. Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone,' declares the Sovereign Lord. 'Repent and live.'"

Do not spend your time seeking who is at fault. Every person is responsible for the condition of his/her own heart. Repent of the evil in your own heart, pray for the repentance of your children. Pray that your own heart and the hearts of your children will be fully committed to the Lord. Remember, the prayer of a righteous person avails much.

Tough Love

2011-01-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Ezekiel 14:12-23
Psalm 33
Matthew 25:1-13

Four times God tells Ezekiel that even Noah, Daniel, and Job, all known for their righteousness, could not have save their own sons and daughters from the coming destruction. They could only have saved themselves by their own righteousness. Yet after the coming disaster they (the people of Israel in Ezekiel's time) will see the change in conduct and action and they will know "that I have done nothing in it without cause" (declares the Sovereign Lord). It is through the Lord's discipline that the sons and daughters are brought back from their rebellion.

I have talked with many parents of adult children who are concerned about children who seem to have forsaken all their early training in the faith. They long to bring them back into the fold. Being faithful the parents do their very best to love and exhort their children. Time after time they lovingly bail them out of their troubles only to have it make little difference in their child's faith status. They lecture, they plead, they coerce, they bribe, they manipulate all to no avail. And no matter how righteous, loving or concerned they might be, they are unable to effect a change, only God can.

Many times his methods are not what they or we would like. We would prefer that he woo our children back into the fold with prestigious jobs, loving families, abundance of material goods, glowing health, or at least through our love and concern. Ezekiel mentions God's tools--wild beasts, the sword, plague and famine. None of us wish these things for our children. Some of us attempt to intervene to prevent these difficulties from occurring. However, God says that these "disasters" are often the things that may bring rebellious sons and daughters to change of conduct and action. How hard it is to love and care without interfering in the ways of the Lord! It takes great discernment to know when to love by giving and when to love by restraining the gift. In order to do this wisely and successfully, we need to keep our own lamps filled with oil and wait upon the Lord for wisdom and patience. Sometimes it seems as though he is taking an incredibly long time to act. "We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us [and our children] O Lord, even as we put our hope in you (Pslam 33). Amen.

2011-01-20T05:11:00.000-08:00

PROPHETS, FALSE AND TRUE
Ezekiel 14:1-11
Matthew 24:36-51

You may have read that according to some modern prophets, Jesus is returning in May of this year. Well, maybe, maybe not. Jesus himself said that not even he knew exactly when that might be. It is not God's will that any should parish and so the door remains open until the Lord himself decides to close it. But, what exactly is a prophet? A biblical prophet was/is someone who speaks God's word to his people. These words are spoken with great authority because they are based on Truth, God's Truth. We have lots of false prophets who speak with authority based on the truth as they see it. They preach "Peace [success, happiness, health, pleasure]" where there is none. They tell us what we need to be doing and when and how we should be doing it. They misdirect our focus. They assure us that if we do what they tell us to do, all will be well. There are economic prophets: "Follow the green line and invest with us and you'll reach the magic number for the retirement of your dreams." We have medical prophets who tell us that if we eat right, exercise, keep up our medical visits, have a positive attitude, we will extend not only our lives, but the quality of our lives. We have pleasure prophets who tell us if we take the right cruise we can indulge ourselves. We have marketing prophets who tell us that a 57" TV will make us happier than a 19" TV will. There may be some truth in these words that bombard us on a daily basis, but partial truth can turn our direction away from The Truth. In Ezekiel God brushes aside these misguided prophets and says "I will answer these elders myself." His purpose in answering them himself is so that they might repent and become more fully his people.

Jesus in his prophetic role, tells us that time is limited. He will return and when we least expect it. It will could be while we are engaged in getting all this economic security, healthy lifestyle, pleasure, giving our daughter the best wedding ever, or accumulating and collecting our "stuff." In fact we could be so busily engaged following these "minor prophets" that we miss preparing for The Prophet's return. How do we prepare? Jesus says that we prepare for his coming by being engaged as his servants in the work he has called us to do for the Kingdom. If we get distracted thinking that he won't return in our lifetimes, or focus on the wrong things [security, health, pleasure, accumulation] we may not be prepared. We may not be doing what he considers most important.

So, what are those things and how can the older set still actively participate? Jesus calls us first of all to tell the good news. I have heard older people say "It seems that I spend my whole life in Doctor's offices." Well, is there a better place to connect with people who are suffering, scared, weak, or lonely? Are you sharing your hope in the Lord? Jesus calls us to be reconcilers. Are there members of your family who are not speaking to one another? Is it possible that God wants you to be a peace maker? God calls us to pray and to spend time getting to know him intimately. Are you interceding for the world, our world leaders, your church leaders, your friends, your family? Are you spending time in the Word so that you have answers to those who ask of you? Are you loving him so much that you can hardly wait for his return? God calls us to leave a legacy. Are you telling your stories of God's faithfulness? Have you written a history of God's activity in your life for those who come after you? Do your friends and family know what is central to your life? These are just a few things to get you started. As you read the Word there will others that speak to you.

The True Prophet speaks "I will return." Are you listening to him or to all the other prophets around?

2011-01-19T04:46:00.000-08:00

WHITEWASH
Ezekiel 13:1-16
Psalm 27

The prophet Ezekiel has a message for us. Of course his message was directed to a different people at a different time and a different place, but his words have great wisdom for senior adults. Let me set it up for you. Ezekiel's nation, Israel, had rebelled against the God of Israel. They had been warned repeatedly that judgment was to come if they did not amend their ways. The clock was ticking. Time was running short. God's patience with them was running out. Ezekiel says that instead of warning the people and helping them to prepare for what was to come, their prophets were putting whitewash on crumbling walls. Now obviously this should be taken as a warning to all nations that forget the Sovereign Lord. But, this column is for senior adults. What might it say to us?

Aging happens to us all. There is nothing we can do to keep from growing one day older as the clock moves through its hours. We are crumbling walls. No matter how much exercise we do, how many antioxidents we eat, no matter how much botox we put under our skin to puff out the wrinkles, no matter how deftly we apply the hair coloring, we each are one day older every 24 hours. Obviously some of these things like diet and exercise can extend the quality of life as each day passes, but not one of them can relieve us of our mortality, and certainly hair dye, botox and plastic surgery are not going to do anything for us at all except to allow us to fool ourselves as we look in the mirror. Whatever we do, we are all going to die. The ravages of aging will come. For some it will be more obvious or drastic than for others.

Ezekiel tells us that God speaks about these prophets: They say "Peace", when there is no peace, and because, when a flimsy wall is built, they cover it with whitewash, therefore tell those who cover it with whitewash that it is going to fall. Rain will come in torrents, and I will send hailstones hurtling down, and violent winds will burst forth. When the wall collapses, will people not ask you. "Where is the whitewash you covered it with?"

My mother was taught that if she did everything right, she would be blessed. To her that meant that she would not have to suffer the effects of aging that others might have to endure. As she aged and her sight and hearing began to fail, she began to believe that God had not lived up to his word. She was angry. She had tried to do the right things all her life and had been largely successful. She was a righteous woman. And yet, here she was, bent over and aching, barely able to see, not catching the conversation of those nearest to her, outliving her beloved husband and all of her friends, not understanding modern technology that so consumed her children and grandchildren, and losing the memories that had brought her such comfort. In comparison to many the affects of her aging were moderate.

God told Ezekiel to tell his people that rain was going to fall, hailstones would come hurtling down, violent winds would burst forth and the wall would collapse. And I say the same to you. We will grow old, we will lose those closest to us, our bodies will forsake us, we will die. David holds out the truth to us. The Lord is our stronghold. When evil devours flesh God is my salvation. To spend time and money hoping that we can evade our mortality is evil. To accept that mortality with faith and trust, resting on the strength of our Lord who is light and salvation is heads and tales above whitewashing our crumbling walls.

Waiting

2011-01-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

Waiting is hard. We wait for spring to thaw the winter's coldness. We wait to be admitted to the doctor's office. We wait for test results. We wait for a house to sell. We wait for our children to commit their lives to Jesus. We wait for things to get better. We wait for death. We wait for our Lord to return. If one has waited for a very long time, he/she begins to wonder if what they wait for will ever happen. In this waiting a burning love may grow cold. Impatience may cause us to get up and walk away. Disgust may create resentment or deep seeded anger or even an anesthetizing apathy.

Today, my readings in the Book of Common Prayer were all about waiting. Senior adults are apt to have the same response as the people of Israel had. "All these visions, and nothing has happened." All these promises and the world just seems to be getting more violent and sinful. We are tempted to give up, to lose our first love, to stop hoping, to stop praying. Why bother? Nothing happens. Over and over in scripture we are reminded not to give up but to endure. Not half-hearted but fully, hopefully, joyfully. Ezekiel tell the people of Israel, These are the words of the Lord, "The days are near when every vision will be fulfilled. . . I the Lord will speak what I will, and it shall be fulfilled without delay. . . I will fulfill whatever I say, declares the Sovereign Lord. . . None of my words will be delayed any longer; whatever I say will be fulfilled. (Ezekiel 12:21-28)" In Matthew 24:12, Jesus says "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." And he concludes "They [You] will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his anglels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other."

We are getting old. We have endured a lot. We are tired of waiting, and waiting. . . and waiting. But let us not give up. Let us love our Lord passionately. Let us endure believing the word of the Lord will be fulfilled.

2010-11-17T07:31:00.000-08:00

Greetings, as you can see we are in the midst of making the Autumn Saints material more available and user friendly. It is our hope that you will find this space especially helpful in leading your senior adults as they transition to this latter part of their lives. I will try to connect you to resources that I have found helpful in developing this material. You are invited to share your experiences in ministry to seniors. You are also encouraged to ask for specific help for your group. One of the obvious changes you will notice is the change from curriculum packets and disks to single books and online attachments that you may download to support your group leadership. Previously customers purchased a permit to copy the material for reproducing at their own worksite. This was time-consuming, expensive, and led to bulky bunches of pages that were hard for everyone to keep track of. The disks for Transitions and Facing Mortality will be available until the books are completed. I am presently working on Unit Four, Well Done! and hope to have it online by spring. Then I will proceed to Unit Five, Friendship with God and then go back to redo units two and three to the book format. As you can see there is a lot of work ahead. I have tried to keep the cost of the book modest so that your group members will not find it too expensive to purchase. I have included material for individual Bible study for five days of the week. If a group member has faithfully done their preparation work they will have a great deal to share with the others in the group. We all love to hear others stories and insights. It broadens our own understanding. There is room for each member to journal one question per day that connects with the biblical material they have studied. I have included a short paragraph of insights and thoughts that have impacted me in my own study of the material. Each chapter has a worksheet that will aid the group member to explore the topic more deeply. The individual work is more intimate than the group sharing. One is free to select what they want to share from their individual work without being forced to an intimacy with which they are uncomfortable. There are loads of resources for the leader to expand the study to include activities, movies, and additional resources. I think that you will find an abundance of possibilities. You as a group leader know your people and can select from the abundance what will best suit your group. May God bless you all as you undertake this exciting and meaningful work.

Sandy Escontrias