1 Timothy 5:17-24 Respect and Accountability Aren't Opposites.

Observation: First Timothy is known for its concern about getting the early church organized. This passage is about how we treat leaders. Elders who preach and teach well should receive "double honor". I guess that means honor for accepting the call to do it in the first place, and more honor for doing it well. On the other hand, leaders should also be held to account. If a leader has sinned, and it's corroborated by two or three witnesses, they should face the consequences publicly. Nothing should be swept under the rug.

Application: Being a leader in the church has always been an awesome responsibility, but especially today, when so many leaders have fallen so far short, it's that much more important to do what I do well. I can't read this passage without thinking about recent clergy sex abuse scandals, and how the church's respect for authority can be distorted into protection for predators. It's also hard not to see the many public faith leaders who have used God's word as a means for profit and personal power.

The witness of scripture is clear: we can honor and respect Christian leaders, and still hold them to account. They are not opposite values. In fact, accountability is part of respect. When we shield leaders from facing the truth of their actions, we tell the world that this is the best the church can do, and it's not very good. In fact, it's not even safe. But when we insist on truth and safety for all God's children, when we mutually spur one another on to do better, we're not disrespecting those in positions of power. We're showing what the church can be, and must be, if our mission would continue.

Even in minor things, it is not disrespectful to lovingly  say to a pastor or church leader, "I think you can do better." Real disrespect would be to hold your tongue, and assume they can not grow. We can. We want to. We need your help.

Prayer: God, never will there be a day when I feel totally prepared, confident, and qualified to preach your word and lead your people. Yet, in all this time, the day hasn't yet come when I don't feel the call to do it, giving it my best, and being open to your best, through your Spirit. Let today be another day like that. Amen.

1 Peter 3:8-12 What's So Funny 'Bout Peace, Love and Understanding?

Observation: I read a lot of buzz words here. Unity of spirit, love for one another, a tender heart, a humble mind. At first it just seems like platitudes: the kind of things Christians are supposed to say but rarely mean. But to the readers of this letter, let's remember, this was more than just singing "Kum ba yah" by the campfire.  These are values that held a community together when they were giving up their lives for their faith.

Application: Just last week, much of the church observed the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity." Honestly, it wasn't much on my radar. Churches working together and worshiping together across denominational lines isn't as revolutionary of a concept as it used to be. These days what concerns me is less how people in different congregations relate, than people within congregations.

Ever since before I was ordained, my vision for the church has been roughly the same: a community where the different labels we place on one another--race, class, gender identity, sexual orientation, political affiliation, national citizenship--are all secondary to our identity together as disciples of Jesus. We love each other, and heal the world, because of who we are in Christ.

I think that viewpoint has fallen out of vogue somewhat in recent years. There are many voices telling us that to embrace those with a different worldview is to compromise our own principles. Mind you, it is understandable that if you are in a place where people's basic values consist in not accepting who you are as a child of God, then unity is not possible. But if your concern is you might be challenged--changed, even--by attending church and hearing a viewpoint you may disagree with, then maybe you need to ask if God is calling you to this place for that very reason. Maybe God needs your voice in the conversation. Maybe your neighbor could be blessed by your witness, even if it's not what they expect to hear. Maybe the story of your ability to worship together, despite your differences, can be balm for a deeply wounded world. Maybe "unity of spirit," a "tender heart" and "a humble mind" can be more than platitudes if we show a little courage in Christ, and show up, not just for ourselves, but for each other.

Prayer: God, our world scoffs at the peace you offer. Help us to accept it gratefully, as the gift it is, and offer it to the world. Amen. 

Matthew 9:14-17 Nothing to Prove

Observation: Some of what we know of Jesus comes from the way he (and the Gospel writers) respond to unfair rumors being told about him. In this story, John the Baptist's disciples question him on why he and his followers don't fast. Later on in Matthew, his lack of fasting gets exaggerated into being classified as a "glutton and a drunkard". Then as now, critics will find whatever tiny, unflattering detail they can to discredit him. But Jesus' response expands the conversation: his presence is an occasion for feasting.

Application: Something that has changed very little from Jesus' time to our own is a human obsession with purity. We think in terms of all or nothing. If something is praiseworthy, you should be doing it all the time. If something is problematic, you should never do it, or even hang around people who do. Fasting is good? Okay, I'll do it until I can barely stand. Social media can be harmful? Okay, I'll just cut it out of my life forever and judge those who don't. We have such precious little control over the outside world, so when it comes to the one thing we can control--our behavior--we fall into black and white thinking.

Absent from the conversation is Jesus' perspective: that there are seasons in our lives, and it's no good to respond to every season in the same way. There are times when we should fast, and times when we should have a bite to eat. There are times when we should withdraw a bit, to spend time with God, and times to reengage with the world as changed people.

Most importantly of all, we must remember we will be surrounded by people who are in different seasons than we are. They aren't sinful or ignorant. They aren't judgmental or aloof. They are simply at a different spot in their life's journey. Not ahead of or behind you, but on a different road altogether.

Prayer: Jesus, thank you for seasons of fasting, and seasons of feasting. Help us embrace and live in each season of our lives, as your servants and friends. Amen.  

Isaiah 53:1-12 Wounded For Our Transgressions

Observation: This is one of four "servant songs" from Isaiah, which speak of a particular person with a special calling. In this case, the calling is to suffer on others' behalf, and to bear our iniquities.

Application: I know this text was written centuries before Jesus was born, and there are probably scholarly resources to tell me something of the original meaning, but as a Christian it is very hard to separate this servant song from the events of Jesus' death on Good Friday. Bearing our iniquities, wounded for our transgressions, taken away by a perversion of justice and making his tomb with the rich. That seems so much like Jesus' story to me, and after 2,000 years of interpretation it's hard to hear it any other way.

The more Good Fridays I observe, and the more times I hear this servant song, the more I realize that there is a mystery at the cross that bends our traditional sense of time, space, and relationships. In a way, it is all behind us: today, the cross is empty and Jesus lives. But also, in a very real way, the cross is present and current, in the suffering of humans and God's creation today. It all flows back to the cross. All our suffering goes there, which means that if you are in pain, Jesus is here. No matter when or where our pain comes from, no matter how or why we caused pain to others, the cross of Christ is its final destination. That is where it stays. To go there is to be born again, without yesterday's pain. And those who go there with you, born from that same source on that same day, are your siblings.

Prayer: God, thank you for meeting me in the midst of my pain. Help me to be present for my siblings who also suffer. Amen.

Psalm 40:1-11 The Swamp of Sadness

Observation: What I love about the psalms is that they address just about any human experience you can imagine. In this psalm, the writer begins by proclaiming God's rescue from "the desolate pit" and "the miry bog." To me that sounds a lot like depression.

Application: I don't know if other children of the 80's hear this psalm in a similar way, but to me, the "desolate pit" and "the miry bog" takes me right to the "swamps of sadness" from the classic fantasy film, The Neverending Story. This was our generation's Old Yeller. In a terribly sad scene, the hero, Atreyu, loses his horse, Artax, in the swamp of sadness, and if not for miraculous intervention, would have lost his own life too. Not to a monster or a villain, but to sadness itself.

There's some debate among 30- and 40-somethings about this scene: was it unnecessarily traumatizing? Did it throw kids into the emotional deep end without a life vest? Or did it address the issue of loss and depression in a way that no other film had, and perhaps by doing so, offer a life vest to kids who were already there, not sure how to get out?

I tend toward the latter way of thinking, for the record. And I appreciate the honesty of the Bible in dealing with "the desolate pit" and "the miry bog." They are very real, whether we talk about them or not. It's incumbent on people of faith, I think, to admit that. To be aware that's where some folks we care about might be. And that's where Jesus is, too. We may not feel his presence: in fact, in some cases it may take medical interventions in order to feel anything at all. But he's there, and through the people who show up for us at our lowest point, we see his face.

If you are in the miry bog now, I want you to know you're not alone. Many people--probably folks you know--have been there before, and there is a way out. You are dearly loved by your maker who will never, ever forsake you. Reach out to me, or to someone else you trust. Call 1 800 273 8255. Just please, please remember you are of infinite value.

Prayer: God of our lives, you have lifted us up from the desolate pit before. We know you can do it again. Remind us of your love, and your presence. Lead us through today and into tomorrow. In the name of the Crucified and Risen One, Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

Galatians 1:6-12

Observation: Paul is writing to a church he founded, but that has been infiltrated by critics of his message. They insist that followers of Jesus must earn their salvation by fulfilling religious laws. Paul says faith in Jesus is enough. He is so adamant about this that he says even if an angel from heaven contradicts this message--even if Paul himself comes back and contradicts it--they are accursed.

Application: I think one of my least favorite things about being a pastor is about how much personality matters. Not character, mind you, but personality. Do I seem cheerful enough? Do I tell enough jokes? Am I good with names? Do I know, without being told, to call and visit people when they want to be called and visited, and to hold off when they don't? Am I the kind of guy you want to have a beer with, but also the kind of guy who can speak with moral authority when important situations arise? And more to the point, does the fate of my congregation rest on me being the "right kind of guy"?

When I descend into this thought spiral, I appreciate reading the letters of Paul. Because by all accounts, including his own, Paul was...a piece of work. Nobody argues he wasn't brilliant, or a good speaker. But man, was he hard-headed. Blunt. Pedantic. Misogynistic. Nationalistic. Arrogant. Competitive like you would not believe. Complicit in the murder of Christians.

And yet time and time again, Paul reminds his readers: "It's not about me. It's about the Gospel." Dislike Paul if you want (and I often do) but what he does effectively is share a message: God's grace through Christ is free for all. That message is more important than any personality. And it can change lives.

So, yeah, those who know me, I hope you like me. I'm human that way. But more than that, I hope you get a chance to hear the Good News today, that you are beloved by God and saved by a free gift of grace. Because like me or not, that's the truth.

Prayer: God, help us worry less about being liked and more about sharing your love. Amen. 

Jeremiah 1:4-10 Desire vs. Calling

Observation: This is the prophet Jeremiah's call story. Maybe he's speaking poetically when he recounts a conversation with God before he was born, but the long and short of it is he has always known he is fated to play a role in delivering a very difficult message to God's people. Because the message is from God, Jeremiah need not fear for his safety: it will get through.

Application: I don't want to descend too far into nerd-dom, but I heard an interview recently with Freddie Pribze, Jr., of all people, who lent his voice to the Star Wars Rebels series. The point he made about Star Wars as a whole grabbed my attention: essentially, the Force balances itself out, no matter what.  Luke Skywalker and other heroes, as important as they are to the story, are fated to do what they do, and if their actions will bring balance to the force, they will succeed.

I know that sometimes I have a desire to have a big, dramatic role in God's plan. We all do. We like to believe we are special in some way, and that our faithfulness to God has some connection to our "impactfulness" in the world. But we need to understand that our desire to be special and our calling to be faithful are sometimes in conflict. God calls us to lots of seemingly mundane, ordinary stuff sometimes. What we rarely take into account is that in this moment, the mundane stuff to which you are called is unique to you. No one else in the world can do it. That's why God made and called you. You are part of God's mission in the world, but you are not in any way responsible for its success. God is already on that. Just being you is a high calling.

Prayer: God, help me be me, for you, today. Amen. 

Acts 9:10-19 Siblings in Vision

Observation: in Acts, there are several times when people receive visions from Jesus during prayer. Prayer is almost like turning on a radio receiver to hear from Jesus. 

This story is one of at least two I can think of, where Jesus gives a "double vision," telling Ananias about Saul and at the same time telling Saul about Ananias. A similar thing happens between Peter and Cornelius in the following chapter. Because both men are tuned into prayer, they get the same message. Jesus makes the introduction and sets up the appointment. And despite his doubts, when Ananias meets Saul, he refers to him as "brother." They are siblings, connected by a vision. 

Application: I can't say I've ever had a "vision" in the extraordinary sense depicted here. But I have had hunches, gut feelings, imaginings and ideas that seem to come out of nowhere. I've been in the right place at the right time more times than I can count. And prayer helps me be ready to recognize those moments, those inklings, as more than just random synapse firings. Prayer helps me turn on my radio, to hear the signal, however faint, of God's next right step for me. And prayer helps me recognize "siblings in vision", who seem to be having similar inklings. But if nothing comes up right away, I don't get too stressed. I know that more prayer, and more time with scripture, especially with others, is never a bad idea. 

Prayer: God, help me turn on my spiritual radio. Help me hear your signal. Help me find siblings in vision. Help us to follow our hunches, and see where they lead. Amen. 

Acts 9:1-9 They Don't See What You See

Observation: I haven't made an official count, but I think there are almost as many retellings in the New Testament of Jesus' appearance to Saul as there are of Jesus' resurrection itself. What stands out for me about this one is the experience of the guards traveling with Saul: they hear a voice but see no one. Maybe that's good for them, because what Saul sees strikes him blind for several days. It's a vision for his eyes alone.

Application: Perception is a fascinating thing to me. Two people can be at the same place at the same time, seeing, hearing and experiencing the same thing, and end up having very different recollections of what took place.
A very important experience for my own faith journey was attending (then working at) a Christian camp. It grew my faith in a way that little else could have done. It set me on my path to ministry. And I have close friends who I love and still spend time with any chance I get, who had that same exact experience, yet no longer consider themselves Christians. Some are agnostic or atheists. In that special time many years ago, we all heard the same thing. But moving on from that, we aren't seeing the same thing in the world. I don't think that means I did something right and they did something wrong. And I'm pretty sure they don't think I did something wrong and they did something right. The best I can figure, there are just certain times and ways the Holy Spirit works, and it's not the same for everyone. We are not all going to see the same picture of the world, or of God. I tend to think it's okay to still talk about it, but there's no use in judging someone for not seeing what you see. In fact, maybe just listening to how they see things might begin to undo some of the damage done by others who have judged them in the past. What you can't do is make someone see through your eyes. If God wanted it to work that way, we'd all be the same.

Prayer: God, thank you for the path you have shown to me so far. Help me to be humble and honest in sharing my experience with others: warts and all. Amen. 

Psalm 72 Long Live the King

Observation: This is a coronation psalm, I think. It invokes blessings on the King of Israel--justice, prosperity, longevity, peace, the defeat of enemies--but not just because he's the king. Verse 12-14 give the reason for the blessings: because this King has pity on the poor, needy and oppressed, and delivers them.

Application: It's too easy when we read the Bible about "kings" to make direct comparisons to modern heads of state: presidents, prime ministers and the like. But we don't really have "kings" in America today. We live in a democracy. The people are in charge. So these kingly texts apply every bit as much to us as anyone else. We need God's blessing in doing our duty and taking responsibility for leading our nation in a just and holy direction. Each of us bears responsibility for delivering the needy from oppression.

We should also remember, though, that Christians do answer to our own king: Jesus Christ. We don't make decisions just on our own best interest, but according to  his guidance and command. I pray we may look to him for guidance in these difficult times.

Prayer: God, help us to deliver the needy, rescue the oppressed, and hear your voice, even as we seek to make our own voices heard.

Ephesians 3:14-21 Prayer Priorities

Observation: Something typical about Paul's prayers for his fellow Christians is that he prays less for their outward circumstances than for their inward, spiritual state of being. This prayer in Ephesians 3 is a good example. Rather than healing, Providence, justice or any outward thing, Paul prays for inner strength, for the indwelling of Christ in his readers' hearts, and for the power to comprehend the scope of God's surpassing love.

Application: I rarely pray for people's spiritual state. I tend to be pretty practical. When someone is facing a crisis, I tend to ask God for material help. Same thing for the situations facing my community, the country and God's creation. I tend to think in terms of a measurable result I would like to see.

What I learn from Paul's prayer is that, while it isn't wrong to pray about outward things, we often underestimate God's ability to affect change in and through our inward state. For all my praying for divine intervention in the world, I rarely ask for divine intervention in my own heart and in the hearts of people I care about. And frankly, I think that's because I underestimate what God can do through me, and through other faithful folks, through the power of love. Ephesians says God grants more than we can imagine. Maybe it's time to start imagining the power of not just "let there be peace on Earth" but also "let it begin with me."

Prayer: God, I pray for all reading this, that their inner being would be strengthened. That your son Jesus would dwell in their hearts through faith. And that they would begin to comprehend the incomprehensible: how much you love them. Amen. 

Isaiah 60:1-6 Arise, Shine

Observation: I notice that the first verse is God's command to Israel, "Arise, Shine!" But the command comes with an announcement: "for your light has come". The light of the people is not their own possession. It comes from God. They don't make it or manufacture comesit. It comes to them. All the other predictions of glory--all nations gathering and paying tribute, coming to Israel to escape deep darkness, the younger generation being gathered back in--depend on God's light coming to Israel. They can't make that situation happen. It just does.

Application: When I hear "Arise, Shine!" on this day of Epiphany, which happens to also be the first day of 2020 in which I rolled out of bed to take my kids to the bus stop, it makes me smile.
The stars shone bright this morning as I drove my daughter past our normal bus stop, on a wild goose chase to track down her bus. "Arise, shine" indeed... maybe ten minutes earlier tomorrow.
That's why I need to be reminded, on the day the decorations come down, the tree goes out into the cold, and for me and many others, there's a sadness and a vulnerability to seasonal depression: I don't have to make the light. I don't have to conjure it up, as if I ever could. The light has come. God's love has come to live with us, and it isn't going anywhere.

Prayer: God, help me to arise, and feel the light of your live, and reflect it as best I can today. Amen.