Category: Scripture

Never Alone

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20b, NIV)

We never know when our situation in life will suddenly change. A car accident may occur and our life is altered in countless ways. Our routine check up at our doctor’s office may result in the discovery of an illness which will require us to battle immensely. We may be asked into our supervisor’s office to discover that our position is being eliminated. An alarm awakens us in the night and after exiting our home, we watch firefighters work hard to save the house but the wind fuels the flames. All of these life-changing experiences, and more of greater and lesser magnitude, create a time of storm in our lives.

In the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, Carousel, a song which became a hit on its own was, You’ll Never Walk Alone. In the musical the song is sung twice. The first time is when the male lead, Billy Bigelow, dies and the female lead, Julie Jordan, sings it to comfort herself and cousin Nettie finishes it for her. The next time we experience the singing of the song is at the graduation of Billy and Julie’s daughter as the spirit of Billy encourages his daughter and Julie.

This song reminds us of Jesus’s words at the end of Matthew’s gospel. The resurrected Jesus appears to the disciples, commissions them, and then tells  them he is always with them. These encouraging words have great value for us when we are facing life’s storms. The storm will not last forever. There is light at the end of the storm. We keep hope in our hearts for we have the promise that Jesus always walks through the storm with us.

Choosing the Gate

Read Matthew 7:13-14

For anyone who is familiar with agriculture, gates serve an important purpose if you have livestock. Pastures and feeding lots have fences and gates to keep the animals  safe and where they need to be. If you have worked with any livestock, you also know that they can easily escape out of the narrowest of openings but once corralled, seem to have difficulty going back through a wide, open gate.

The passage we read in Matthew’s gospel is in the midst of a number of teachings which Jesus is communicating. He speaks here of gates. He tells those listening the importance of choosing the correct gate. The wide and easy-to-enter-through gate leads to destructive life choices. The gate which is narrow and difficult to find leads to a life of meaning and value. Jesus is teaching about choices.

The choices which we make in our lives clearly have an impact upon the direction our lives take. Sometimes the impact is noticed immediately while other times this is not noticed until after a period of time passes. Heeding Jesus’s teaching means being sure we are not choosing only the easy and quick rewarding option. Instead, Jesus tells us to search for the option which will have a lasting and spirit-building influence upon our lives.

Stones

Read 1 Peter 2:4-10

Individuals who have property which is at a different elevation than the property beside it often have to utilize retaining walls. These walls keep the soil contained so it does not erode away. Usually a retaining wall is made of stones or bricks. Over time, and often due to the movement of water, one or more of these stones may move out of place and threaten the integrity of the wall. Each stone is vital for the wall to effectively serve its purpose.

In the passage from 1 Peter, the writer uses the image of stones to communicate our role in exhibiting the grace of our Lord. The chief stone in this demonstration is Jesus who is the cornerstone.  Jesus stands as the greatest exhibition of God’s grace. Each of us become stones which build upon the cornerstone.

Understanding this passage in our life begins by realizing our role in the demonstration of grace. Like the stones in a retaining wall, each one of us is vital. With the grace shown through Christ as the base of our display, we add our witness of God’s grace in our lives. Each of these witnesses combine together to create a profound message of the grace of God active in the world.

Be that living stone which demonstrates grace. You are an important part of the beautiful display for others to see.

Seeing The Light

Read Acts 9:1-9

According to Merriam-Webster, epiphany is defined as,” a moment in which you suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way.” Today, Christians in the Western world celebrate Epiphany. The celebration is a time when we recall the three wisemen following the star, the light, to locate the infant Jesus. They saw and understood something in a new way. This day also marks the end of the Christmas season.

In the passage from the Acts of the Apostles, we read about Saul’s experience of epiphany. Saul had been a respected Pharisee who felt called to extinguish the sect of Jesus’s followers. He received permission from the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem to go from city to city in search of followers of Jesus. Saul then would persecute, and at times kill, these discovered followers. Then on the way to Damascus, Saul has an encounter with Jesus and begins to gain a new understanding of the Lord.

When have you seen something in a new light? What epiphanies have you experienced? On this day when we celebrate Epiphany in the Church, reflecting upon the times the Lord has opened your eyes is a meaningful exercise. Like the wisemen who gained new wisdom, like Saul who experienced and understood Jesus differently, you may also see the light and gain a new understanding.

In A Whisper

Read 1 Kings 19:9b-13a

Being heard in the midst of a loud crowd or in a spacious environment can create a challenge for a leader or speaker. In order to overcome this challenge, one might amplify one’s voice by utilizing a megaphone or a microphone, amp and speakers. Another method which has been suggested appears to go contrary to the intended goal…use a quiet voice. This method is akin to the idea of reverse psychology. If individuals in a group see the persons peaking by observing the movement of the mouth, they will quiet themselves and often those  around them because they are curious. They want to hear what is being said since it may have some impact on them. They do not want to miss out.

In the reading from1 Kings today, God seems to employ such a tactic with Elijah. God desires to have Elijah’s full attention. Instead of being known in a loud and shattering way such as using a mighty wind, an earthquake or a large fire, God chooses a whisper. This clearly gets Elijah’s attention and Elijah listens intently to God. This is the response which God sought.

There are times when we have a strong desire to hear God. It may be during a time of great fear and stress as Elijah was experiencing. Maybe we are considering a life transition. Whatever the circumstance, we hunger to hear a message from God. Since we know God to be all-powerful, our expectation is that God will show up in some boisterous and dramatic way. We get frustrated when this does not happen and may conclude that God really does not care. However, from Elijah we learn that often God chooses the quiet and gentle way in order to truly get our attention so the message will be heard.

If you are seeking God’s presence and message, maybe you need to stop looking for a loud thunderbolt and instead pay attention to the gentle whispers in your life.

Closing A Year

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

As we come to the close of another year and anticipate a new one, it is right that we should offer praise and thanks to our Lord. No matter what the previous year has held, you are still reading and I am still writing. This is only possible because of the Lord. Our ability to wake up every day for the past 365 mornings is because of the Lord. All of our abilities and our skills find their source in the Lord. Every possession we have, our health, and our mental capacities are due to the giving of the Lord. We have journeyed through another year and are at this point as a blessing from the Lord.

Looking into the new year, the promises of the Lord continue. While we have no idea what this new year may contain for us, we know that the Lord walks through it with us. We can depend on the Lord to lead us if we will follow. The compassion and mercy of the Lord will enrich us every day. The provisions of the Lord will sustain us throughout another year. Most of all, the love of the Lord will surround us every minute of every day in the new year.

I invite you on this New Year’s Eve to pause and say thank you.

The Wait

Read Luke 2:25-32

Waiting can be a challenge for many of us. Anyone who has anticipated something tremendous to occur knows that you are often on edge. If our wait is prolonged, doubt can enter into one’s mind. A person may even become irritable because the  waiting may seem unbearable. When the wait is over, a feeling of relief and joy sweeps over us.

The people of Israel had been waiting a long time for a savior, the Messiah. Some of them had given up hope, become upset, and maybe even fell away from their faith in God. One Hebrew man who remained faithful and did not waver from his belief that God would fulfill the promise of the Messiah was Simeon. When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to the temple for consecration, Simeon knew the promise had been fulfilled. He offered a song of praise and thanks to God. In his song, he declared who this child was and what he would do for the world.

There are times when we have to wait for God to fulfill a promise. God’s timing seldom aligns with our own. God’s timing is perfect so waiting is often the norm for us. How we handle this wait reveals our nature. Do we become irritated, maybe even fall away from our faith? Or do we choose to respond as Simeon, remaining faithful and continuing to trust in God’s promise to be fulfilled?

The Big House

Read John 14:1-3

There are many varieties of houses in this world. Some people live in small, one-room homes while others have places to live which have over twenty rooms. The materials used to build houses may depend on factors  such as location, climate, resource availability, financial resources, and/or the owner’s needs. Some houses are single-storied, while others have two or more stories. Just as individuals vary, so do the houses in which each person lives.

In an attempt to reduce the anxiety of his disciples, Jesus tells them about a house with plenty of room which he is going to prepare for them and others. Prior to this passage, Jesus had told his disciples that he would not be with them much longer. After having followed Jesus around for almost three years, the disciples want to follow him wherever he is going next. They are afraid of being left on their own. So Jesus assured them that he is going to prepare their place where the Father dwells. He also tells them that there is plenty of room for them and he will return to take them to the place.

During Advent, part of our focus was on this promise of Jesus’s return. In today’s passage we hear of this promised return. The promise speaks of a big house where all are welcomed. Through other passages in Scripture, we gain an understanding that there will be abundance at this place. Sadness, pain, and suffering will be replaced with joy and uninhibited life. The place of Jesus’s promise is clearly a place we all would desire to experience. This place is also a home to which we should want to invite others.

Audio Adrenaline captured the promise of Jesus and created images to which we can relate today in their song, Big House. I invite you to consider the promise, the invitation, and the images which form in your mind as you listen to this song today.

Finding Rest

Read Matthew 11:28-30

As enjoyable as the holiday season is, it can leave us exhausted. All the activities and events can keep us running. With the inclusion of meal preparations, gift shopping and wrapping, baking, and hosting, our energy can quickly be depleted. When the holidays are completed for another year, many of us wish to enjoy some downtime and an opportunity to recoup some energy. We need some rest.

Jesus is talking to his followers in what Matthew records within today’s passage. An invitation is given to them and all who hear his words. The invitation begins with an offer of rest, a releasing of life’s burdens. Then an additional offer to be connected to Jesus so we might learn how to manage through life is presented. Jesus tells all that with Jesus’s assistance, we will be able to shoulder what life presents, we will not be alone.

At a time when rest may be our greatest desire, these words reassure and comfort us. The end of the holiday season is not the only time when we hunger for regeneration and assistance. We benefit from remembering that no matter what burdens life may present to us, we do not need to bear them alone. We have this promise from the Lord that the burdens will be shared. Learning alongside Jesus will allow us to understand navigating the experiences life presents without collapsing. Knowing that we are able to find respite in the Lord makes situations more bearable.

Qualifying

Read Colossians 1:12-14

In athletic running events, swimming competitions, and a few other sports, a person is required to be qualified in order to participate. These qualification events are often referred to as preliminaries or entry heats. A participant must achieve a specific time or placing if she/he is going to be allowed to compete in the final which will determine the overall winner.

The passage taken from the first chapter in the letter written to the Colossians speaks of qualifying. The writer is sharing why thanks is given for the members of this faith community. God is lifted up as being the one who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the people whom God has set apart. It is the action of God which has made the people heirs, not the people themselves. This action of God has brought the people into the light of the Son’s kingdom where there is redemption by the forgiveness of sin.

In sporting events, one’s qualification depends solely upon the athlete’s or team’s performance. Colossians indicates that our qualifying to be participants in the Son’s kingdom has no dependency upon us, instead it is God who does the qualifying. This is exciting news because we would fail to qualify if it were not for the forgiveness found in Jesus.