King of the Jungle...

The Life Journal readings for today are Ezekiel 12, 13, 14, and Revelation 5

Scripture: Revelation 5:5 (NIV)
"Then one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has triumphed."

Observation:
John's vision of the throne room continued.

Application:
It's easy to forget, sometimes, that the Lion of the tribe of Judah has already won.  He is, and always will be, King of the Jungle.  What's that?  How can I compare the Lion of the tribe of Judah from Revelation to the king of the jungle?  Look around.  It really is a jungle out there. 

A few days ago, I wrote about how Revelation just isn't my favorite book, and it's still not, but a good friend of mine reminded me that this is the story of good winning in the end.  Even us preacher types need to be reminded of that every now and again.  It's a word I needed this morning. 

The application section of this daily journalling process is supposed to be about how we are going to live differently because of what this scripture says to us.  For me, I think it is calling to me to step back once again and look at the big picture.  Yesterday was a rough day, but it's just one day out of 365 this year.  That means that even with one bad day a year, I have that one chance and 364 more to let the Lion of the tribe of Judah be the king of my jungle. 

Prayer:
God who spoke choas into order, you have called us to make a difference in a crazy world.  I ask that you watch over all those who feel as if life is a jungle, and that you grant them guidance and peace.  Show us once again how good wins in the end, and never let us forget that you promised to be with us always.  Amen. 

Right There...

Today's Life Journal readings are Ezekiel 8, 9, 10, 11, and Revelation 4

Scripture: Ezekiel 8:4 (The Message)
"Right before me was the glory of the God of Israel..."

Observation:
Ezekiel is given a vision of the idolatry being committed by the people of Israel and about what will happen to them because of it.

Application:
This morning was tough.  I almost didn't write at all, simply because of the texts for today.  Stuff like this in our scriptures gives folks some crazy ideas.  All you have to do is turn on the TV to find that out...ancient aliens...biblical aliens...Ezekiel's aliens.  Ok, I get it.  We have been trying to make sense out of Ezekiel's visions and the imagery in Revelation for centuries.  I have too.  I mean, sure, it would be great if science could prove that everything we read about in scriptures is true, but then the question becomes, "Define true?"

So for me this morning, it's not about the imagery itself.  Well, not about the imagery that stands out in texts...floating wheels and four headed creatures.  It's about a different kind of image.  To me, this passage, or at least that one line, calls me to open my eyes to God's glory breaking out right in front of me.  I mean, have you ever really looked at a passion flower?  It's one of the most complex flowers in the world.  I look at one of those and think, "Wow!  You did good with that one, God." (Knuckle bump)

Then I remember the first time I heard our daughters' heartbeats on the monitors, yeah the glory of God right before me.  Or what about the sounds of a baby's first cry?  Or the birds landing on the feeder in our backyard?  Or being able to hear a good friend's voice.  Yeah, those things.

The glory of God right before me?  I don't need images of ancient aliens to see that.  So, funny hair guy on the TV, go ahead trying to prove that Ezekiel saw a UFO.  I'll defend to the death your right to do that.  I'd like to help, but I'm a little busy trying to figure out how God stuffs 30 pounds of tomatoes into 1 tiny little seed.

Prayer:
God, who is mystery, reveal to me what you would have me see.  Open my eyes to see your glory in the day to day.  Create in me a heart of wonder, and allow me to see you wherever I look.  Amen.

Dead or Alive...

Today's Life Journal readings are Ezekiel 4, Ezekiel 5, Ezekiel 6, Ezekiel 7, and Revelation 3.

Scripture: Revelation 3:1-2 "These are the words of him who hold the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. 'I know your deeds.  You have a reputation of being alive but you are dead.  Wake up!  Strengthen what remains and is about to die.'"

Observation:
These are the author's words to the church at Sardis, who had evidently become comfortable.

Application:
How true those words are today.  If you were to ask most church folks to describe their church, they would say things like, "We are on fire!"..."We're growing"..."Things are going pretty well."... and in their eyes things may be going pretty well.  But in most places, nothing too exciting is happening.  The Sunday morning worship bulletin is the same today as it was last year, and as it will be next week.  Every now and then a guest will show up, and who knows, maybe even join the membership. 

It's safe...It's predictable...And we like it that way.

I want to serve a noisy church.  I love being in a church where I have to get loud on Sunday morning so folks can hear me over the crying babies.  I am blessed to serve a church where my phone gets busted up pretty regular with folks who are throwing ministry ideas at me.  I love the fact that the community KNOWS this church is alive, and where walking into the unknown is the norm.  "A reputation of being alive"... that's not good enough.

So no rant today, but instead I want my folks to know that they do not have this in common with the church at Sardis.  I'm blessed to serve Grace Church and I give God thanks for the people that call this their church home. 

It's chaos in here this morning.  We have stuff stacked around the walls.  There are sheetrock hangers working in the youth center above my office.  I can't hear myself think...and I absolutely love it. 
(Insert shameless plug here)  So if you are looking for a place that not only is reputed for being alive, but actually is, give me a holler.  We'll do lunch, and I'll tell you about this place I know of where lives are being changed.

Prayer:
O living God, and God of the living, hear my prayer for those faith communities where you are actively at work.  Strengthen them.  Give them endurance to stand strong under the call to change lives.  For those churches who are still sleeping, wake them up so that they can once again be kingdom churches.  Amen.

Revealed...

Today's Life Journal readings are Jeremiah 52, Revelation 1, Psalm 143, and Psalm 144. 

Scripture: Revelation 1:1 (The Message)
"A revealing of Jesus, the Messiah."

Observation: The opening line of the book of Revelation, showing the purpose for the book.  Whether you interpret it literally or don't, we can probably agree that it's purpose was to reveal Christ as the Messiah. 

Application:
I don't like Revelation.  (And it is the Book of Revelation, not the Book of Revelations.  Two of my pet peeves are the "s" being added to the end of Revelation, and "selah" being read when someone reads the Psalms.  Just saying.)  I even mentioned yesterday morning that this book was not one of my favorites.  Thanks to Hal Lindsey, John Hagee, and guys like that, Revelation no longer gets to speak as it did to the people of the first or second centuries who were trying to live as the church, and trying to do so under heavy persecution.  Because of the work they have done folks immediately start looking for some timeline to some upcoming apocalypse. 

Still, it has much to say.    

As we sift through its pages, we can find out much about ourselves.  Surely, there are aspects of at least one of the seven churches in most of our churches today.  Are we neither hot nor cold?  Have we forgotten our first love?  These are questions the early Christians had to wrestle with, and still questions we must ask ourselves as well. 

Since the Life Journal is evidently getting ready to lead us through this book, let's be lead with open eyes and hearts, so that it can speak to us about how Christ can be revealed as Messiah through who we are today.  Let's not immediately jump to images of some future battle between the forces of good and evil because, folks, that battle rages every day.  How we respond, how we treat each other, and how we live within the communites we are planted will reveal more about who our Lord is than anything written in this book. 

Prayer:
God of our beginnings and our endings, reveal your word to us again this morning.  Allow us to hear you whisper ways we can reveal Christ as our Messiah today, tomorrow, and for all of our days.  We ask that you truly become our A, our Z, and our everything in between.  Amen. 

As If That Weren't Bad Enough...

The Life Journal readings for today are Jeremiah 50, Jeremiah 51, and 3 John 1.

Scripture: 3 John 1:9-10 (The Message)
"Earlier I wrote something along this line to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves being in charge, denigrates my counsel.  If I come, you can be sure I'll hold him to account for spreading vicious rumors about us.  As if that weren't bad enough, he not only refuses hospitality to traveling Christians but tries to stop others from welcoming them.  Worse yet, instead of inviting them in, he throws them out."

Observation:
3 John is a letter written to the leadership of one of the early churches about their hospitality to fellow Christians, and about one member's lack of hospitality.  As if that weren't bad enough, it is also an indication that, even then, there were power plays within the church.

Application:
So, no one is perfect.  I get that.  I know I'm certainly not. 

So, folks like to be in charge.  I get that, too.  Every time I stand in front of our Celebrate Recovery group, that is how I introduce myself.  "Hey, my name is Jamie, and I'm a recovering control freak." 

However, when a group of people come together with a shared vision and mission, and when there is someone within that body who is obviously not on board with that mission...what do you do?

My human nature says, "Throw the bum out.  If you don't like where this bus is going, get on a different bus."  But something in me won't let me do that. 

I would like to be able to say that this was an isolated incident, and that it's no longer an issue in the Church.  But the reality is the Church will always have to deal with folks like Diotrephes.  There will always be one or two, or even a group, who just can't grab the shared vision and will be a source of friction and tension within the body. 

While it can frustrating as a leader in the church, I really don't mind dealing with folks like Diotrephes.  To me, that is more incentive to do a better job casting the vision.  Those folks keep me on task, and keep me focused.  Ideally, everyone would be on the same page, but I'm not going to sweat the times when we're not. 

Prayer:
God of us all, teach us to love in those moments when we are not all of one mind.  Cast the vision you have for your church before us, show us our role in making that happen, then remind us that at the end of the day, we are all working toward the same ultimate goal.  Be in our thinking, our hearing, and our speaking, so that even in those moments of disagreement, your kingdom can break through.  Amen.

   

Don't Say That...

Today's Life Journal readings are Jeremiah 37, Jeremiah 38, Jeremiah 39, Psalm 79, and 2 John 1.

Scripture: Jeremiah 38:14 (The Message)
"Later, King Zedakiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and had him brought to the third entrance of the temple of God.  The king said to Jeremiah, 'I'm going to ask you something.  Don't hold anything back from me.'  Jeremiah said, 'If I told you the whole truth, you'd kill me.  And no matter what I said, you wouldn't pay any attention anyhow.'"

Observation:
Jerusalem is about to fall.  The people are about to be sent into exile into Babylon.  King Zedakiah is afraid, yet Jeremiah tells him what is going to happen anyhow.

Application:
I have learned over the years that the role of pastor is really three roles in one.  That was reinforced for me this week.  I am a pastor, which means that I have a responsibility to care for the souls in my charge.  I am a priest, which means that I have vowed to administer the sacraments to whosoever would come.  But, and this is the part that causes me the occasional sleepless night...I am also a prophet.  Not a prophet, like the prophets of old.  I can't see into the future or deliver words like Jeremiah did to Zedakiah with a knowledge that what I speak will come true.  Instead, a prophet in the sense that sometimes the words I am called to speak are tough to hear, but they need to be spoken anyhow. 

I have also learned that those words, even though they be spoken in love and for the good of the kingdom, not out of malice or ill will, may not be well received and the end result is that some may choose to walk away instead of accept them. 

I can respect the king in today's reading for giving Jeremiah his ear, even though the words that Jeremiah brought were not what he wanted to hear.  That happens more than we realize.  At the end of the day, I'd rather know that I had been true to my calling than to think I had allowed my need to be liked interfere with the task God has given me.

Prayer:
God of the tough days and sleepless nights, grant those whom you have called to shepherd your flocks the strength to follow where you lead, to hear when you speak, to correct in love, to sacrifice when sacrifice is required and to do all this not for the praise of man, but to build your kingdom.  Amen.   

Under Control...

The Life Journal readings for today are Jeremiah 33, Jeremiah 34, Psalm 74, and 1 John 5

Scripture: 1 John 5:19 (NIV)
"We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one."

Observation:
These are the final instructions from the author of 1 John in this letter.  He is wrapping up a teaching on the love of God and what it would look like to live within the same.  Then he throws this little gem in and keeps going. 

Application:
"He's got the whole world in his hands..." 

How many of us sang that one in vacation bible school as a kid?  I remember vividly standing in the front of a small country church in my hometown of Lynnville, and singing that song with the other kids as VBS was wrapping up for the week. 

Now, as an adult and a seminary graduate, lines like this one stand out while I'm reading.  Part of me would like to just be able to read over them like I used to do, not paying any attention, and checking the "I read my bible today" box so that I can go on about my day. 

But I can't.  I have to wrestle with things like this.  Who is in control?  Is it the God who spoke the world into creation?  That's what we've always been taught.  But...if the author of 1 John is correct, it's the evil one who has everything under control.  All one has to do is look around to begin to see that. 

This is where the church has to be proactive.  For decades we have sat around, brainstorming, trying to come up with catchy little slogans and ideas that will convince folks to come to us; meanwhile the world around us cannot hear the voice of truth because of Clark Griswold screaming, "Look around you Ellen!  We're at the threshold of hell!"  And for them...it just may be true.

If we are going to call ourselves kingdom builders and disciples makers, then it's time to get off our duffs, get outside, and begin to turn the tide.  Ultimately, we know who has the last word...but they don't.  If your pastor won't lead you outside the walls, take the lead yourself...get up...get out...and show your community that God really does have everything under control.

Prayer:
O God of all that was, is, and is to come, remind us once again that good triumphs, and that evil does not get the last word.  Show us how we can be a source of hope for those who are standing at the gates of their own personal hell.  Teach us to go to where the hurt is just as you did all those centuries ago so that hope and peace begin to replace fear and doubt. Amen