"No Room..."

Today's Life Journal readings are from Habakkuk 1, Habakkuk 2, Habakkuk 3, and John 8.

Scripture: John 8:37 (New International Version)
"I know that you are Abraham's descendents.  Yet you are looking for a way to kill me, because you have no room for my word."

Observation:
The Pharisees have challenged Jesus yet again.  John takes us from one judgment scene to another in this chapter.  Jesus refuses to judge the woman caught in adultery from the beginning of the chapter, only to be accused by others of being demon possessed a few lines later. 

Application:
It's almost as if Jesus is being attacked on all sides in this chapter.  John lists the Pharisees, the Jews, and the Jews who believed in him as all being involved in this conversation.  As he's speaking to the Jews who believed in him, he told them that they had no room for his word.  The Message paraphrase says that they could not get his message through their thick skulls, but if we stick with the NIV translation, it opens that accusation up to another possibility.

That hit me this morning after I found myself trying to find room in today's schedule to read and journal.  I could have justified skipping today because of everything I need to get done, and honestly, it would have been much easier to just go on about my day and save this for tomorrow. 

But...if I am sincere about going deeper in my own faith, and if I'm calling my flock to do the same, then I almost have to admit that sometimes it's hard to find room for his word, but it's important enough that I need to make every effort to do that very thing.

Prayer:
God of chaotic schedules, teach me to master my own busy-ness so that, as I converse with the Christ, I may not be accused of finding no room for his word.  Amen.

Jesus in Trouble...

The Life Journal readings for today are 2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 35, and John 7.

Scripture: John 7:1 (The Message)
"Later Jesus was going about his business in Galilee.  He didn't want to travel in Judea because the Jews there were looking for a chance to kill him."

Observation:
At this point in his ministry, Jesus had become a target because of the things he was saying and doing.  Now, he feels as if he can't go into the city because the folks there are trying to kill him.

Application:
It's no surprise that folks who couldn't wrap their heads around the possibility that Jesus actually might be who he said he was were looking for an opportunity to be rid of him.  We still, today, destroy that which we don't understand.  Jesus acted like the Messiah.  He sounded like the Messiah.  He healed like the Messiah, and taught like the Messiah.  However, he was from Galilee and they all knew that they weren't supposed to know where the Messiah came from.

I wonder how many folks today walk around in isolation, misunderstood, or simply aren't allowed to be who they really are for fear that they will be treated in a similar manner.  Folks may not actually be trying to kill them, but still, they are not treated well.  If those of us who are already on the inside could open our minds to the possibility that a child of God can come from anywhere and look like anything, then would the kingdom begin to unfold. 

Prayer:
God of the unknown and misunderstood, open our eyes to see your presence in all those we meet.  Allow us to see them for who they really are, not as we would judge them to be.  Remind us that we  have all fallen in one way or another and allow us to see the face of Christ in all.  Amen.

"Too Tough to Swallow..."

Today's Life Journal readings were from 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34, and John 6.

Scripture: John 6:60 (The Message)
"Many among his disciples heard this and said, 'This is tough teaching, too tough to swallow.'"

Observation:
Jesus is starting to get to the meat and potatoes of why he was sent.  At this point in John's gospel the explanation of the redemptive aspect of his mission was  more than some could handle.  All this talk of eating flesh and drinking blood was just too much.  His crowd had been growing steadily because of the "signs" John continually refers to, such as the healing stories, the feeding of the crowds, and other things of that nature.  Now the real teaching begins.

Application:
This teaching is tough to swallow.  Jesus has effectively begun to weed out those who were just there for the show, or to get what they could get, and may or may not have been serious about being kingdom bringers.  I don't know if it was intentional or not, but the end result was the same regardless.  Many who had been following turned back when they heard Christ describing himself as the Bread of Life.

It still happens today.  The number of those who follow may grow steadily larger until the real work begins.  Then one by one, or maybe even in large numbers, they begin to disappear.  What Jesus didn't do in this story, however, was to go chasing after them and begging them to come back.  We would be tempted to do that because we are judged more by numbers than depth of discipleship.  Instead, Jesus looked at his core group, "The Twelve," as John calls them, and asked them if they wanted to leave as well.  He was concerned with depth and dedication, and maybe that is the definition of discipleship we should be working toward. 

Do we have what it takes to stick with him through the tough stuff?

Prayer:
O God, who calls and sustains us, give us ears to hear and strength to follow, even though the path before us be rough and steep.  Grant us holy boldness when the temptation to turn back becomes stronger than we alone can fight, so that with you and through you, we can take even the tough teachings as a guide for our living.   

"Do you...?"

Life Journal reflections for today.  The readings were Nahum 1, Nahum 2, Nahum 3, and John 5.

Scripture: John 5:6 (The Message)
"When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, "Do you want to get well?"

Observation:
This is yet another miracle story that was turned into a trap by those who couldn't see beyond their own agendas.  It was probably the Pharisees, although John doesn't specify, who could not see the miracle because it did not line up with what was important to them.  What was important to Jesus was not necessarily protecting their laws (which, by the way were also his laws), but instead being faithful to the One who had sent him, and the work he had been sent to do.

Application:
The decision was his.  Jesus only made the offer.  The man could take a risk, believe that Jesus was who he said he was, and be healed.  Or...he could continue living as he was.  It wasn't the life he was created to live, but it was safe...no risk involved.  Day in and day out, all he had to do was lay by the pool and hope that he was quicker than the others that day.  Or...he could answer the call of the One who stood before him offering him another way...the decision was his.

At first, he did exactly what we try to do in similar situations...give a list of reasons why he had not yet been healed, and why Jesus' offer might not work, but Jesus didn't ask for excuses.  He asked him one question: "Do you want to get well?"

Well, do you?

Prayer:
God of the hopeful and the hopeless, grant us the ability to hear when you call and the strength to accept your offer of healing.  Forgive the tendency within us to make excuses, and lead us into the courage to pick up our mats and walk.  Amen.

Shocked Disbelief...

These are the reflections from yesterday's Life Journal readings. 

Scripture: John 4:27 (The Message)
"Just then the disciples came back.  They were shocked.   They couldn't believe he was talking with that kind of a woman.  No one said what they were thinking but their faces showed it."

Observation:
The story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar is just another example of how radically different Jesus was from other teachers of the time.  He knew her inside and out, and yet took time to sit down and talk with her.

Application:
How different would the world look if we were that radical?  Jesus knew her, even to her very core, yet still offered her water that would quench her deepest thirst.  He called a spade a spade with her, no doubt, and made her a little mad.  Her anger disappeared when she heard, possibly even for the first time, that God loves all of her.  The things she wanted to argue about really didn't matter.  Jesus told her that what counted was who she was and how she lived.  It was the disciples, not Jesus, who couldn't see past the exterior to the child of God on the inside, just waiting to be born.  Unfortunately, in many places, and many times, it still is.

Prayer:
God of living water, hear my prayer for those who hurt, and those who have been the source of hurt for others.  Let me be your voice calling all of those who are thirsty to drink from the water of life.

New Birth...

So the down time hasn't been all bad.  Over the past week, after I was able to spend a whole day with Tolkien, the dwarves, elves, hobbits, and a couple wizards, I was able to spend much time in reflection.  One of the things that kept coming back to me was how I had let my own personal devotional time get pushed out of my schedule, once again, by the busy-ness of the ministry.  It happens.  It happens a lot, not just to me, but to scores of folks who do what I do.

So, here is an attempt to remedy that.  Actually, this was how this blog got started over two years ago.  New birth came out of failure.  During Lent, 2010, I failed miserably at self-denial in preparation for the celebrations of Easter, so I decided to add something to my life instead of take something away.  Thus, a return to the LIFE Journal, and the birth of this blog.  Ok, so every entry wasn't from the life journal, I know.  Ok, so a lot of them were written as rant, I know.  Some of them really ticked a few folks off.  But hey, what did Hank Jr. say? "If it's in him, it's gotta come out." 

Today I'm returning to a spiritual discipline that has been a little lacking of late.  I confess that.  I need to get back to journalling, and the Life Journal is a pretty good tool for that.  The format for the Life Journal is illustrated by the acronym SOAP:  Scripture... Observation... Application... Prayer.  Each day of the year is assigned a set of readings, and today's was Isaiah 65 and 66, Psalm 62, and John 3.  Following this plan, you can read and reflect your way through all of scripture in a year.  I picked the readings back up a week or so back, but had not taken the time to journal yet, so today's the day.

Today John 3 spoke to me, so here we go.  The reflections are fairly short, and at the end of the reflections, a short prayer is written for each day.

Scripture:  John 3:5 (The Message)
"Jesus said, 'You're not listening.  Let me say it again.  Unless a person submits to this original creation - the 'wind hovering over the water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life - it's not possible to enter God's kingdom.'"

Observation:
Nicodemus could not see the possibility that God can actually operate outside the realm of our understanding.  Birth, to him, was only, and could only be, physical. 

Application:
It happens so often.  Nicodemus wasn't the only one who had difficulty comprehending what is possible with God.  Sure, physical birth is one form of beginning, but there are others.  That moment when we, like Peter, realize the bottoms of our legs are getting wetter, that we can't do it on our own, and reach out a hand...a form of new birth.  Our independence sinks into the water, and our dependence on the God who created us draws us out of despair. 

The moment we cry out in frustration, disappointment, or hopelessness to the God who calls us into a new way of being, leave the old ways behind, and step onto a path that will allow the good work begun in us to be completed...new birth.  First, though, we must lay down our ideas of what is, and what is not, possible.  

So we, like Nicodemus, sit in the dark, scratching our heads and asking, "How can this be?"  It can only be when we lay down our ways and submit to the original creation.

Prayer:
God of new birth, hear my prayer for all those who are seeking but not yet finding, who can no longer live as they are but are unsure of how to be anything else.  Guide them into the peace and possibilities that new birth in you promises.

 

Everything is Chicken But the Gravy...

Ok, I've stood it as long as I can.  I had said that I would not chime in on the Chick-fil-a fiasco, but the smart aleck in me has finally won out over the common sense in me.  From what I've read this whole deal has been blown way out of proportion.       

Here's my beef with the whole thing: the liberal left and the conservative right have both missed the point. 

I'm an elder in the United Methodist Church who has vowed to uphold the Discipline of my denomination, and according to the laws of my church cannot participate in or officiate at a same sex marriage, nor allow the same to be conducted in the church I am appointed to serve.  I'm cool with that.  If you want to say that is preserving the biblical ideal of marriage, I will defend to the death your right to believe that.

But wait...there's more...I am an elder in the United Methodist Church who has vowed to uphold the Discipline of my denomination, who by the laws of our church cannot officiate at or participate in a same sex marriage, nor allow the same to be conducted in the church I am appointed to serve...HOWEVER...I have full sacramental rights to re-marry as many folks as I want for the second, third, or fourth time...which, with a few ancient exceptions...also mars the glorious sanctity of holy matrimony, and the family born from that union. 

When this whole thing blew up, it caught my attention.  Why?  Well, because Chick-fil-a makes a killer chicken sandwich.  I don't visit often, but in the times I have patronized their establishment I've never been disappointed.  I applaud the fact that, along with Hobby Lobby, Swirlz, and a few others, they are closed on Sunday to give their employees time to worship, if they choose, and/or spend time with family. 

The first thing I did when I started seeing the Facebook posts was to start doing a little research, which is my other beef with the whole fiasco.  Granted, I have not done extensive research, but some is better than none.  Evidently there were only about a dozen of us who actually went back and looked up the quotes before we started slamming Facebook with our shares and reposts. 

What I found was Dan Cathy being quoted as saying this: “We are very much supportive of the family — the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives.”

I applaud Mr. Cathy for the fact that he has made his marriage work...or at least wants the public to think that it's working.  I am thankful that we live in a country where he can say what he wants with complete freedom, and that he can run his company pretty much as he sees fit.  I also applaud him for standing for what he believes in even though it may not be popular. 

What gets me though, and it's another thing that makes my job so cotton picking hard, is the scores of folk jumping on whatever raft floats down the river without doing any homework.  From what I read, Dan Cathy never mentioned same sex marriage.  He may be against it, and perfectly within his right to be so, but in this particular situation, from these particular quotes, those of us who have divorced and remarried, and divorced and remarried, have done just as much damage to the biblical institution of marriage and the biblical image of family.  And...as an officiant at more than one exchange of vows for the second or third time, does that make me just as guilty even though I am still with my first wife?

If you support same sex marriage, and don't want to eat at Chic-fil-a, don't eat there.  There are countless other places to get a good, nay great, chicken sandwich.  If you oppose same sex marriage, and want to support Chick-fil-a, get in line.  You won't be alone.  Personally, it doesn't matter to me.  This isn't a sword I'm willing to fall on.  But...there's something in scripture about planks and eyes, or splinters and eyes, or something like that, and this we cannot forget.  Make sure the reason you are supporting the company or trying to shut it down is legit, and based on facts instead of mob mentality.

Gentlemen, if you are concerned about preserving the biblical image of family and protecting the sanctity of marriage, and if you have looked at a woman cross-ways and had bad thoughts about her while your wife was standing beside you, you might want to hold off on ordering that chicken sandwich.  Ladies, likewise, if you are concerned about preserving the biblical image of family and protecting the sanctity of marriage, and if you have ever winked at a man that wasn't your first husband, maybe a cheeseburger this week instead of that grilled chicken.  If you have thrown your wife or husband away and said something like, "I just don't think I love you anymore," or "I'm just not sure I want to be married anymore," maybe you should hit McDonald's instead.  Wait, let me make sure Don Thompson hasn't said anything. (I think he's McDonald's CEO)

If you are trying to keep Chick-fil-a out of your city because their freedom of speech doesn't line up with your agenda, get over yourself.  Dan Cathy has a right to believe and say what he wants, just like you and I do, and get this, has the right to run his company pretty much the way he sees fit.  From what I've read, he's not discriminating against anyone, just stating the beliefs that stand behind his company.

The beauty of living where we live is that we don't have to agree, but for the love of all that's good and holy, let's at least do a little homework so that we know what it is we are disagreeing about. 

...oh...and by the way...that's an Arby's chicken sandwich in the picture

Addendum...after seeing a few comments about this, I feel like I need to say that my reflections are about the quotes attributed to Cathy, not what the company does or does not do with their profits.  Further research into that could change everything.