2 Peter 3:8-13

The older I get the faster time seems to pass. Another year coming to an end, my children both celebrating birthdays in the last six weeks. Is it fleeting or is it just me? Peter tells us that the day of reckoning will come like a thief in the night. This makes me more than a little apprehensive. My faith lies in Christ's sacrifice for my sins and I do attempt to live a Christian life daily but I falter
all too often. When I do stand in front of Jesus to be judged the only thing that matters is the truth that He knows. My insecurities sometimes say "your not worthy"
but Christ knows better. Thank you Lord!

Acts 6/7

It is the second day of Christmas.

And we've moved from the peaceful joy of the stable to the stoning of Stephen....from the birth of the Prince of Peace to the first example of Christian martyrdom.

Today is St. Stephen's day...December 26th is the day we remember this martyrdom around the world. (Good King Wenceslas looked out on the Feast of Stephen).

It helps us to escape from the safe pageantry of Christmas and remember that this all has life and death consequences. The King of Kings asks for our allegiance, and that is not always the easy thing to do.

Readings

Monday - Acts 6:8-7:2a, 51-60
Tuesday - John 21:20-25
Wednesday - Matthew 2:13-18
Thursday - 2 Peter 3:8-13
Friday - Psalm 148
Saturday - John 8:12-19

Psalm 96

The Lord our God has given His followers the gift of life through Christ.
He is to be both feared and praised. The sacrifice of the Son makes possible our relationship with the Father. The words...he will judge the nations fairly and with truth... are all that I can ask for. My God has given me great blessings and keeping the focus on His story is the challenge I attempt not only during this season but each day I'm given the opportunity.

Wishing all a wonderful Christ-filled Christmas and safe travels in the coming days.

1 Samuel 2:1-10

After a rough go of having children where she was even ridiculed by those close to her, Hannah prays to God for a son promising to give him to God.  God blesses Hannah with Samuel and when the boy "had been weaned" she brings him to Eli at the temple and the prays the verses we read here.  Much like Mary's song, this a prayer rejoicing in the goodness of God.  Those who are humble and deserving receive God's blessings, while the rich are sent away.

I have been singing "My Soul Glorifies the Lord" from our Christmas Cantata all week.  I haven't been able to get it out of my head.  (Here is the link if you want it stuck in your head Christmas Cantata, which is a better recording than the one I posted on Sunday).  I'm not sure if I really want it out of my head though.  I am so blessed, not only with children, but a beautiful wife, a job, a house, family, friends... My soul should glorify the Lord all the time!  I never want to be on the other side of Hannah and Mary's words.  The haughty and undeserving.  No, we are created and saved to be thankful and giving back to the glory of God.  Amen!

Luke 1:46b-55

I know that generations have reverred these verses and love this song...but I'm beginning to think I will always struggle with it.

I've had two normal children - and each pregnancy and each birth was world-changing, confidence shattering, and ego-bursting. The sense of peace and calm and gratitude in Mary's song seems so foreign from any emotions I could even imagine her having.

But new in today's reading - I've discovered that she did not break into song upon hearing the news of her pregnancy. Her initial response seems to be more...resigned "Fine, let it be with me as the Lord has said (it's not like I can change it anyway)"

She doesn't sing with joy until after she talks with Elizabeth. We need each other to help us make sense of God's actions in our lives. Mary needed to talk to another pregnant woman. She needed to speak with Elizabeth - who was old and had been longing for a child for so long.

When it's just "me and God", God can be overwhelming. When it's "us and God", we work side by side. We pray together, we praise together. And sometimes God makes more sense. And often, I am braver.

Readings for the week...

Monday: Luke 1:46b-55
Tuesday: Hebrews 8:1-13
Wednesday: 1 Samuel 2:1-10
Thursday: Psalm 96
Friday: Romans:13-11-14
Saturday: (Christmas Eve) Isaiah 9:2-7; Psalm 96; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 [15-20]
Sunday: (Christmas!) Isaiah 52:7-10; Psalm 98; Hebrews 1:1-4 [5-12]; John 1:1-14

Our worship service schedule for Christmas:

Christmas Eve
4pm: Family Service
11pm: Candlelight Service


Christmas Day
10am: Worship Service (Traditional)

www.faithlutheranquincy.com

Hear our Cantata from 12/18! : MP3s

Hebrews 1:5-14

Well Julia woke up from a bad dream and now she's peacefully back to sleep while I'm
wide awake! So why not blog rather than turning on the NFL network.


Jesus is the theme of these verses. Throughout God reemphasizes that Christ is greater than all. The Son whom was with the Father before time was became man for our sake. He was the Most High and yet took on flesh and became fully human. He did this for me and for you so that we could have a place in His Father's home. His greatness and sacrifice is beyond words. Thank you Jesus for counting me worthy to worship and glorify you.

Mark 9:9-13

These couple of verses are probably packed for theologians.  "Do not tell anyone" and "Elijah must come first" has written a lot of long books.  But what do they mean to me?

I love verse 10: "They kept the matter to themselves, discussing what 'rising from the dead' meant."  So human.  Afraid to look silly asking dumb questions like rising from the dead.  My boss called me out on this a little while ago.  I tend to smile and nod when I hear something I don't understand or the name of someone I do not know.  Half the time, I'll jot down a note to look it up later.  But not asking then and there does not allow me to fully participate in the conversation.  Instead, I am just a receiver of information. 

What I love about being Lutheran is that we are charged to actively participate in our faith.  To question the things we don't undestand and to try to explain to others the things we think we do.  We aren't the receivers of these verses, we are the intepreters and the embodiment of what the words call us to do.  Just like those theologians arguing who Elijah is and what the messianic secret was all about.

Readings for the week...

Monday: Psalm 125
Tuesday: Acts 3:17-4:4
Wednesday: Mark 9:9-13
Thursday: Hebrews 1:5-14
Friday: Psalm 89:1-4,19-26
Saturday: John 7:40-52
Sunday: 2 Samuel 7:1-11,16; Psalm 89:1-4,19-26; Romans 16:25-27; Luke 1:26-38

Psalm 27

This Psalm exhaults our Father to His proper place in the lives of those who believe. Give unto Him all your need and anxiety for His refuge is all that is necessary. My problem is that I'm human and continually struggle with being in the driver's seat. God has always been there for me and will continue to guide my life when I'm not trying to control everything.

Philippians 3:12-16

Pressing on..let us live up to what we have already attained!  These few verses are good to read on a down day.  One of those words that almost count out the steps to keep you moving.  "Hut, two, three..." 

Luke 1:5-17

The beginning of the Gospel of Luke...the beginning of the Good News of the story of Jesus Christ....

And the story isn't about Jesus at all.

It's about Zechariah and Elizabeth and John the Baptist.

The Gospel of Luke is the gospel that spends the most time talking about the poor, disenfranchised, and powerless. Instead of focusing on what we think should be "THE MAIN STORY", throughout this gospel Christ focuses on the widows and the children and the lepers on the side of the road. So I guess it makes sense that the gospel begins with the story of an everyday priest who would be the father of a locust-eating desert wanderer.

If someone were to write about my life, in what ways does it pave the way for THE MAIN STORY of God's salvation? Who have I passed in a river? Is my son's cousin going to bring hope to the hopeless? What words did I say 9 years ago that mattered to someone enough that her life is blessing others in new ways?

We are called to Prepare the Way of the Lord this Advent. There are so many ways and so many people and so many relationships that we are a part of. May God bless our words and our silences.

Readings for the week...

Monday: Luke 1:5-17
Tuesday: Isaiah 4:2-6
Wednesday: Philippians 3:12-16
Thursday: Psalm 27
Friday: Habakkuk 3:13-19
Saturday: Psalm 126
Sunday: Isaiah 61:1-4,8-11; Psalm 126; 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28

John 1:35-42

I can't fathom what it took to be a disciple during Christ's time on earth. John the
Baptist spent his days preaching to his followers of a coming Savior and here we read
John's announcement of this man. These men were blessed with the gift to know and be
taught by Jesus. What an experience this must have been and yet I wonder if they had any idea of the significance of what they were exposed to. They witnessed first hand
the Living God walking and teaching among them. Christ's message of salvation and sacrifice lives on more than 2000 years since he walked the earth even though some
may say that it has been diminished.

Today it is so easy to get caught up in living life. We all need to provide for our
families as well as enjoy the fruits of our labor. I am grateful for my life and all
that I have been given and do try and give back but am I doing all that I could? The
disciples gave up everything to follow Christ and though I'd like to think my faith is at the top of my list my actions show different. My challenge is to strive to walk in the Light the Lord has provided for His believers and seek His will for me in this life.

Psalm 85:1-2,8-13

I guess with God's anger in the first two readings this week, it is appropriate that the lectionary leave out the middle portion of Psalm 85.  But verses 3-7 are very human.  They are a human questioning God's commitment for what must have been a great tragedy experienced by the author. 

"Will you be angry with us forever?  Will you prolong your anger through all generations?" (v 5)

There is no reason for us to question God's commitment, he gave His Son to die for us.  But we do question.  It is human! 

Where the lectionary picks up, verse 8, is actually the turning point of the psalm:

"I will listen to what God the lord says; he promises peace to his people, his faithful servants-but let them not turn folly."

Leaving out the middle of this psalm does us a disservice.  We should know that the psalmist wrestled with this.  Then, while questioning came to the realization that instead of asking and talking, he should listen!  For indeed, God is good!

Psalm 79

Kelly's post seems to be a running theme as of late. With advent upon us everywhere we are reminded of upcoming Christmas and urged to buy, buy, buy. Black Friday is a keen example of the consumerism of Christmas. Who goes out at 1am to get the best price? Is it really worth it to sleep in a tent outside of Best Buy to get that electronic item you have to have? I admit working in retail I do get caught up in the hype somewhat and think to myself is this really me? Do I belong working here? The philosophy of Kohl's does not truly jive with my philosophy. This has been a nagging thought in my mind for quite some time.

This Psalm is not bright and cheery either. God is angry and rightly so. As Mark Huber puts it, God's people are given many gifts, we squander them, don't follow God's plan or law and then when things don't work out we go crying to him to fix it. This was the theme of Marks sermon this week.

So how are we going to be any different this year in our preparation for Christmas? How are we going to show God that we truly value his gift to us, Jesus?

During this time of waiting and preparing, I am going to try to prepare my mind and truly celebrate the real Christmas. God deserves that from me.

Revelation 18:1-10

This past weekend we took the kids to the science museum to see the Pompeii exhibit and the IMAX film on ancient Greece.

I had no idea that Pompeii was such a rich city...the seaside luxury town of ancient Rome. It was filled with the summer vacation homes of the rich and powerful - like the Hamptons, Newport, or the French Riviera. And in all its luxury, it was destroyed in by fiery volcano 79 CE, roughly the same time the Gospel of Mark was written - our earliest gospel.

Greece gave us democracy, our concepts of art and music, philosophy and drama. The ivory and gold statue of Athena filled the parthenon. And today we hear stories about whether or not Greece will be able to pay its debts - draggging Europe and the world economy into turmoil.

But the first time I read these verses, the Babylon that I saw being criticized was not Greece or Pompeii. v. 3 "and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."

We are a nation of excessive luxuries - we use far more than our fair share of resources and create far more than our share of pollution and waste. We consume. And this is not the way of the Lord.

So as we prepare for the coming of the kingdom this Advent, where do our loyalties lie? Can we look at our nation through God's eyes? And can we accept that God's anger may be justified?

Readings for the week...

Monday: Revelation 18:1-10
Tuesday: Psalm 79
Wednesday: Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13
Thursday: John 1:35-42
Friday: Jeremiah 1:4-10
Saturday: Ezekiel 36:24-28
Sunday: Isaiah 40:1-11; Psalm 85:1-2, 8-13; 2 Peter 3:8-15a; Mark 1:1-8

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all enjoy the day and we'll blog some more next week!

Psalm 95:1-7a

The Lord deserves my thanks and praise for all that He bestows on me.

Both joy and adversity are gifts from a loving Father.

In all things God is at work. His Light shines always but at times I overlook it.

Thank God for second chances and thirds and forths and...

What a wonderful opportunity to live a life knowing how much our Lord and Savior welcomes all of those who turn to Him.

Matthew 24:45-51

I remember in school there were two types of pop quizes.  One induced little anxiety because the teacher hinted that one was coming so I kept up to speed on the homework and readings and felt good about the material.  The other, came out of nowhere and as soon as the teacher said "quiz" silence and fear descended on the class like an anvil!

There shouldn't be any surprise about the material come judgement day.  God might put a sheet of paper and  #2 pencil in front of you and ask a single essay question:

"Have you loved your neighbor as yourself?  Please provide specific examples and cite your references.  Length: 2 pages.  Time: eternity."

If you studied and lived the material, the quiz might make you nervous, but you'll get through it.  But, if you decided that you would cram when the master called, you'll probably be the one sweating in the back of the class surrounded by crumpled failed attempts!

I should think of something Lutheran to say about grace...

Zechariah

Humans are curious creatures. We always want to know why, how, when, what size? Our reading for today involves a man who wants to measure Jeruselem. Why? What does he want to accomplish with this information? Then an angel comes and tells him don't bother with the measurement, you don't need walls, God will protect the city. I'm not sure what this means???

Should we not be curious living our lives by faith alone? After all as Christians we believe that God is with us and will protect us. But God did create us, didn't he make us want to know more, question why things are?

In verse 4 the angel is telling the man that Jerusalem will be a city filled with people and animals that is why it does not need walls. Also that God will be a wall of fire around the city and will dwell with them. So maybe what this is telling us that when we are together as a group of people (can I say believers) he will be with us. We can be secure in that thought and hold onto his promise.

Not sure at all what chapter 5 is talking about.....

Psalm 9:1-14

I've always struggled with Psalms like these...primarily because I don't really have enemies. Sure, I'm rather annoyed by the kids who sprayed silly string all over the lawn on Halloween...but I'll get over it, and I'm certainly not seeking vengeance (or even justice).

Even when I look at world events, I struggle to name "enemies." I see fanatics. And I see many many people who suffer because they are trying to live in the wrong area of the world. Everyday Afghans and Iraqis inspire my prayers more than my anger.

I suppose that some of this is because I have the luxury of being safe. Even in a world where terrorism is real..the odds are very much in my favor for a safe life with many choices. Others fight the fanatics on my behalf.

So most of this Psalm is difficult for me. Sure, I state with assurance that "those who know your name trust in you." (v. 10) But the emotions that inspire this Psalm are difficult to latch onto while sitting on my down comforter with an overfed dog snoring at my feet.

Readings for the week

Monday - Psalm 9:1-14
Tuesday - Zechariah 2:1-5; 5:1-4
Wednesday - Matthew 24:45-51
Thursday - Psalm 95:1-7a
Friday Revelation 22:1-9
Saturday Matthew 12:46-50

Psalm 90:1-12

10 Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.

Such an uplifting reading tonight. :(

My sinfulness is very apparent to me and some days it directs my actions all to willingly. My youth is but a faint memory(turning 47 in two months). But to look at these years as filled with trouble and sorrow, I'm not buying it. I've experienced some incredible lows during these years but they pale in comparison to the strength I get from my faith in Jesus Christ and the promise of His salvation.

I am a sinner, I will be judged by my Lord for my life and how I use this gift He has given me. My efforts will never measure up to the sacrifice of Christ dying for me but my role is to let His Light shine in me. That is my goal each day I am given. Some days this Light shines brighter than other days.

Matthew 24:29-35

This is definitely a "darker" chapter than anything I have read since we switched to the Celebrate readings.  Jesus is talking about the end of times, but to me, I can't help but think of the parallel between this chapter and the time shift from this past weekend.  The darker days that press on until you see the fig tree twigs become tender (or in our case, forsythia) and you know the warmth is near.

This time of year drives me crazy.  Missing out on the sun every weekday seems like a sin unto itself!  Yet a weekend snow or a cozy night watching a movie brings other joys that the days of summer cannot hold a yankee candle to.

What Jesus seems to be telling me in this chapter is that although the end of days will be dark and depressing, there is a joy in the midst of it.  That joy is the living God.  If there is joy and hope in the rapture, then certainly the winter is nothing to loathe!

1 Thessalonians

It's funny how things happen. I have been pretty worried about finding a male leader to come to the Youth Gathering with me this summer. There are 10 really excited kids and one excited/nervous leader ready to go, waiting for someone to come forward and volunteer to come along. What would stop anyone from going to New Orleans in mid July? I have heard it is marvelous weather, only like 110 each day!!!! Who wouldn't want to go?

Then I made a phone call about something unrelated to Kirk and guess what? He is going to come with us.!!!!! YEAH! He told me that he had been doing a lot of thinking and really felt he wanted to go. What a relief!

I have been praying about someone coming forward and I was not the only one. Thankfully God sent me Kirk. I can sleep easy tonight and thank God for his help.

Ezekiel 7:1-9

Wow - what a follow-up to Mark's posting last week.

I think this passage must set a record for number of exclamation points used in 9 short verses. God is quite angry, and the end is upon us all.

Not only is there no relief in this chapter, no relenting of God's anger...but God explicitly says "I will not show pity, I will not spare you." (v. 4) And reading the rest of the chapter does nothing but continue this strain...there is no relenting. God is angry.

A few weeks ago I gave a student a 0 because she did not follow the rule "full name or no credit." I figure by the time they're 14 years old, they need to know that last names are expected on their work. She protested - It's not fair! And she was right - she's a poor student who had put in real effort on the assignment and had done a great job. Her highest grade of the term was being turned into a 0. I ended up revoking the 0, but not before letting her spend a day living with it...living with the reality of what I had stated as the rule.

We need a few lessons like that student. Unless we live with our sin, we do not learn our lessons. Too often we run to grace without first truly confessing or contemplating how we have failed. We need our "time outs," our "consequences," and even our punishments. Growth requires acknowledging our shortcomings. And, yes, that can involve a little self-flagellation.

Sometimes God's love is found in being "judged according to our conduct." (v. 3 and v. 8)

Readings for the week..

Monday: Ezekial 7:1-9
Tuesday: 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13
Wednesday: Matthew 24:29-35
Thursday: Psalm 90:1-12
Friday: Matthew 12:43-45
Saturday: Psalm 63
Sunday: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18; Psalm 90:1-12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11; Matthew 25:14-30

Matthew 24:1-14

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Are we living in the End Times? The disciples wanted Jesus to give them
the signs to look for and today we can read into so much of what happens in this world to be progressing toward a conclusion. Whether it's Nostradamus or Harold Camping, these "prophets" have gotten it wrong.

Today I am living the life the Father has granted me. My time isn't spent on wondering if the end is near. I'd like to believe that my faith is strong and when
the trials of this world befall me that I will give it to God through Christ. In the
end that is what living as a Christian is about, at least through my eyes.

Proverbs 16:21-33

Proverbs is one of the books in the Bible that will give you something new every time you read it.  A collection of fortune cookies without the calories.  Most of the verses of Proverbs are there to tell you that of all the things you look for in life, knowledge will pay the most dividends.  The warning is that you should never think of yourself as wise because once you have, you become foolish and the world passes you by.

In our Sunday bible studies, the last thing that we ask ourselves after reading the passage is, "what is God calling me to do?"  Proverbs, I believe, is a book meant for our society today.  One that prioritizes wealth and fame over education, humility and work ethic.  Our nation is far from humble and Proverbs is the first to tells us that being a wealthy nation does not mean that we can stop learning!

John 8: 31-36

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.

I didn't realize before that this quote has it's origin in the Bible. Of course it makes sense -- but I couldn't have told you it was biblical. It makes sense also to find it spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of John - the most poetic and philosophical of the gospels.

The idea of Absolute Truth was what drew me to the faith as a young teen - the years when I was busily claiming the faith as my own and figuring out my philosophical approach to the world. As I grew, I took on the ideas of mercy and forgiveness and love, and even freedom in faith...but it was Truth that drew me. And Truth that remains central to my understanding of God today.

Matthew 5

How familiar these verses are. I don't know how many times I have taught these to Sunday school classes or during VBS. But how often do I really think about what they mean? I think when we hear verses too often we loose what they are trying to teach us.

I think Jesus is trying to tell us that we don't have to be perfect or popular we just need to believe and work at being faithful to God. There are rewards in heaven that we will receive and we do not have to be perfect in our everyday lives. In fact we cannot be perfect and maybe that's why we have this teaching.

We should rejoice in God each day because he loves us and is always there listening and helping.

Readings for the week..

Monday: John 8:31-36
Tuesday: Matthew 5: 1-12
Wednesday: Proverbs 16:21-33
Thursday: Matthew 24:1-14
Friday: Amos 3:1-12
Saturday: Psalm 70
Sunday: Amos 5:18-24; Psalm 70; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13

Psalm 119:41-48

These verses give me pause. I attempt each day to obey God's word but come tragically short a good portion of the time. (v47)How I love your laws! How I enjoy your commands! These two statements aren't ones I easily share. My faith does not waiver but my humanness can set me in conflict to the will of God. I'm weak, selfish, insecure, fearful etc. at times. Reliance on the Father is my only true refuge and when I'm living with that focus all is good.

Malachi 1:6-2:9

God expects from us our first fruits.  What an exhausting thought, today.  After a long few weeks at my day job, to hear that a lot of that isn't really what God is looking for is deflating, but its true.  I give God blemished goods because I myself am tired or unmotivated to do the good that God put me on this earth to do. 

This came up for me this past week before the service at Bible study too.  We were talking about 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 and what God was calling us to do in the chapter.  We spoke about life as a "human being" as opposed to a "human doing."  What a struggle it is!  When you do too much, you cannot be still enough to hear God's words.  But if you are to idle, then you are not giving God your best! 

But perhaps the crux of the matter for me is in that passage from 1 Thessalonians where Paul writes "we speak as those approved by God." God's grace (sans Kelly's "issue #1") allows us to be free of this worry and empowers us to do as much as we can without worrying that God does not love us because we don't do enough and give enough.  What we do though should be within God's commandments to love one another.  So whether it is within church walls or the walls of a big bank, we need to treat everyone as a child of God.

John 14:21-27

Welcome to the passage of thorny Biblical issues.

Issue 1 -- grace and works. Luther tells us (as does Paul) that we are saved by "grace alone". so what's with verse 21? "Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me...and will be loved by my Father...and by me" I know that many claim that love/works is like chicken/egg....but to read this verse for what it IS -- not what we add to it -- is a thorny issue in the face of Paul and Luther.

Issue 2 --- the "Messianic Secret". Why does Jesus keep telling his disciples to keep quiet about who he really is? Or, in v. 22 "Why do you tell us and not the world?" And Jesus answers in v. 23...but the answer does not address the question, it merely continues the original speech.

Thank God for the Spirit! (literally!) For continually helping me to understand the things I don't. For letting me ask questions even when I don't have answers. For enveloping me in a faith that is as stimulating to my mind as it is to my heart.

Readings for the week

Monday: John 14:21-27
Tuesday: Psalm 43
Wednesday: Malachi 1:6-2:9
Thursday: Psalm 119:41-48
Friday: James 2:14-26
Saturday: Matthew 19:16-22
Sunday: Micah 3:5-12, Psalm 43; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12

Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53

If I was to pick a favorite place to read from in the Bible it would be the Gospels. Here the writer goes to great lengths to assure the reader of the authenticity of his account of Jesus' ministry.

Luke ends where Christianity begins. Christ has returned to open the minds of His Apostles to
understand the Scriptures. He wants them to share with the world the Word.

Jesus, the One without sin became sin for us, so that we may have life with the Father. His sacrifice gives to all the opportunity to walk in His Light.

Psalm 98

"Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God's holy name.
Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life. (Ps 104:1)"

Sure, its not Psalm 98, but it was the first thought I had after reading it.  This Psalm (98) is all about acknowledging the goodness of God.  You might have bad days, but God is Good, All the Time.

Readings for the week..

Monday: Titus 2:7-8,11-15
Tuesday: John 5:39-47
Wednesday: Psalm 98
Thursday: Luke 1:1-4; 24:44-53
Friday: Matthew 17:22-27
Saturday: Psalm 1
Sunday: Leviticus 19:1-2, 15-18; Psalm 1; 1Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46

Psalm 24 Praise for Deliverance from Trouble

All my life I have turned to the Psalms for comfort and advice, when I pray I will seek them for guidance hoping to hear God's voice in the words. Usually  I can find Him there, but the direction He takes me is not always where I thought things would go.

Today, I am writing this post on the later part of Friday; I think God had me wait because the day needed to play out for me to see and hear what he needed me to understand.

In this reading I see that Psalm 34  is "Testimony to the goodness of God, who delivers the afflicted from their fears. That the Psalmist reports on God's hearing the prayer and invites others to know the goodness of the Lord through worship and trust." (Harper Collins Study Bible 1993)

So I read in verse 15: "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry." and verse 17: "When the righteous cry for help, the lord hears, and rescues them from all their troubles."

I received an e-mail at work today from Laura who is now staying most nights with her parents in Brockton, Ma. Her parents need her more now to get through a normal day and Laura must carefully balance her time between their needs and her work. We were hopeful that with her Dad's return to the house, physical therapy, visiting nurses and meals on wheels that she could once a week return home here in Fitchburg for some rest. But I also know that God is wiser than us; he made sure Laura was in Brockton last night to help her Dad. Her Mom had gotten up in the middle of the night and fell trying to get back into bed. She could not get herself up and Laura's Dad panicked, called to Laura for help, who rushed in, lifted her mother up and placed her back in bed. Laura's Mom is OK, a doctors visit today confirmed she had no more than a scare and a bump on the head for her troubles, Praise God.

From todays reading I am also convinced that God's eyes are on Laura and her parents, righteous and faithful servants all of their lives, and that God made sure Laura was there last night to act on His behalf when her Dad called out. God sees us,  hears us, takes action and rescues us from our troubles, we just sometimes need to recognise that it is God that places others near and around us. He surrounds us with his love that is manifest in the actions of those he calls.

Isaiah 14:3-11

11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps; maggots are spread out beneath you and worms cover you.

All that is of this earth and world is temporary. The Lord is forever. Praise God!
I starting going back to the gym last week. Why? Well among other reasons I have high blood pressure and eat like a 19 year old college freshman at times and I most likely have reached the midpoint of my life. Our Father expects nothing less than for us to rely on Him. Everything
else is temporal. This is not to say He wants me not to take care of my physical health but that
my reliance should be on my faith in Him and not of what this world brings to me.

1 Peter 5:1-5

God favors the humble. 

Today, a news story broke about the Red Sox collapse this past September.   The article talks about the clubhouse being in shambles.  Multi-millionaires whose sole job it is to play ball were becoming out of shape and disenfranchised.  This is the greatest sin of a ballplayer, to lollygag.  This is the time when a fan comes to grips with the amount of money these players are being paid.  On the flip side, the player with the perpetually dirty uniform and the constant hustle around the basepaths is immortal.  The player that hits the game winning homerun and then is quoted saying "this is a team game and I am happy to be a part of it" is the fan sweatheart.

We cherish their humility and blast their pride because we live vicariously through it.  But are we ourselves humble?

Song of Solomon 7:10-8:4

Really?!
So I ask if we can jumble the readings up a bit so I don't always have a Psalm...and you give me Song of Solomon, Jordan? Really?!

It's beautiful...no doubt about it. And the symbolism in this chapter is rich.

So, God loves us. And sex is good. And it's nice to read a part of the Bible narrated by a woman (and a woman in the Bible who thinks sex is good).

I find 8:1 very confusing. I was going along great with the love imagery, and it finishes up with the same...but that one line about being "like a brother" is a litle weird.

Psalm 96

This is a familiar Psalm and I one that makes me feel safe and secure in God. One of the special things about the Lutheran church is the singing that we do. I have always loved music and singing. It brings me joy and peace. When I am singing church songs I especially feel a contentment and peace, I feel closer to God somehow. In fact if you looked at my Ipod the majority of the music on there is Christian Rock. I love listening to it on my way to work in the morning, it helps me to ground myself in the day ahead.

Verse 11-13 tells us to let the heavens, earth and sea, fields, trees and all creation rejoice for the Lord will come and judge the earth. But do not be afraid because he will judge righteously and faithfully. What a comfort that brings! We should all remember to take a moment this week, to enjoy all that God has given us. As we prepare for a long, cold winter take a moment to enjoy the beauty of Fall and all the colors surrounding us. God is good and his creation is ours. Let's all do our part to take care of it and cherish it.

Readings for the week..

Monday: Song of Solomon 7:10-8:4
Tuesday: Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13]
Wednesday: 1 Peter 5:1-5
Thursday: Isaiah 14:3-11
Friday: Psalm 34
Saturday: Amos 9:5-15
Sunday: Isaiah 45:1-7, Psalm 96:1-9 [10-13], 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, Matthew 22:15-22

Isaiah 24 V 17 - 23

Terror, and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

• You are officially caught between a rock and a hard place.
• You are like a deer caught in a headlight
• Nothing good can come from this

I woke up tonight to let the dogs go out for their (now) nightly business, which I sometimes dread, fearing there may be a skunk involved. There wasn't tonight and the time out was fairly short so I took it as a sort of victory. Then I made the mistake of reading Isaiah 24, verses 17-23. Ok, now how do I get back to sleep, I don't need to get up until 5:00am. Here is Isaiah telling me that I can run but I can't hide.

Wait..... I'm not one of the kings on earth, not by a long shot do I see myself as a pagan god. I can move on to Isaiah 25:
 "O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name; for you have done wonderful things,"; but if there are any kings of earth lurking about, watch out, God is here ready to shake things up.

I will sleep again tonight knowing God loves me.

James 4:4-10

The author of these verses goes to great lengths to confirm the imperfection of his readers.
I as a believer am responsible for my thoughts and deeds with respect to how I carry myself
not only in my church life but in all my comings and goings. Unequivocally I falter all too often but
my mind and spirit are constantly battling to walk in the Light of Christ's Word. My brokenness
gives me strength to know that God is all powerful and without Him I am forever lost.

This world and all its trappings are temporary. That isn't to suggest though that vacation time,
watching the Patriots or annual bonuses aren't important to me.The Lord has given me all that I have and has carried me through life events that were much to much for me to survive without His guidance and grace. My journey is exciting, I enjoy the new experiences my church has afforded me and realize how fortunate I am to be involved.

Psalm 23

This morning I was awakened at around 4am for an issue at work.  Earlier in my career when these calls came in, my heart would sink to my stomach and I would spend the first hour of troubleshooting in panic.  I was useless.  So worried that I would not be able to fix it actually prevented me from being able to fix it.  As soon as I would calm down, the issue became more clear and more often than not, I would have a solution.  Now, with the confidence of knowing what I can do and what I have been able to do, I am able to be calm as soon as the call comes in. 

I don't think there is any way to be calm under pressure unless you have been under pressure a million times before.  When I read Psalm 23, for the umpteenth time in my life, I had a new thought (which seems to always happen with this psalm!).  The Psalmist could write these words with such conviction because this was not his first rodeo.  We need to walk with God many times before we know that God is always there for us.

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

If anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!

I sometimes wonder about re-creation and reconciliation. God has forgiven me for times when I have hurt those around me pretty seriously. But the memory of my actions is a part of who I am. My self-reproach keeps me acting in the way I know God wants me to act, the way I want to act. My self-inflicted sorrow over those events helps me to become more fully the person I was created to be.

I am a new creation because of Christ's love, God's forgiveness. But in the words of Star Trek V (yes, the bad one)....our pain is what makes us who we are.

So how do I intertwine God's forgiveness and reconciliation and newness with my own memory - and my own growth that is dependent on remembering my sin?

Readings for the week

Hi everyone.  To allow people to get different types of readings (e.g. always blogging pslams) we are going to rotate through the readings. Hopefully it doesn't get too confusing.  So here goes:

Monday: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Tuesday: John 11:45-57

Wednesday: Psalm 23

Thursday: James 4:4-10

Friday: Isaiah 24:17-23

Saturday: Psalm 144

Sunday: Isaiah 25:1-9, Psalm 23, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14

Philippians 2 V 14-18 / 3 V 1-4a

Here in Pauls letter to the Philippians he exhorts them to be shining examples to the world, to quit muttering and arguing among themselves and to follow Christs in his obedence to God. He asks them to be glad and to rejoice that Christ is their Lord.
Today we should do no less, we should be shining examples of Christs love for us; for as found in verse 13, "God is at work in you, enabling you both to will and work for his good pleasure."

Revelation 12: 7-12

The devil's time is temporary and his playgound is our world. My faith is with Christ and His taking the sin of the world, our sin, and defeating death by His death on the cross. We have been
given the unmerited gift of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus. The world and all that makes
it up are temporary along with the devil. Our Lord is forever!

Judges 16:23-31

This chapter starts with Samson spending the night with a prostitute and then sneaking out in the middle of the night.  What an odd way to start the chapter!  But what really caught my eye was verse 20, after Delilah had cut his hair and the Philistines were ready for him and he was ready to fight them back, the verse ends:  "But he did not know that the Lord had left him."

There is such emptiness in those words.  Going from the world's strongest man to the man without a friend and more importantly a man without God.  When did God return to Samson?  Or did he ever really leave?  Verse 22, out of nowhere just says "But the hair on his head began to grow again after it had been shaved."  Its almost the author's way of saying that there is little that one can do that God can't forgive.  Even if you try to cut yourself down through sin, God will restore you to strength if you just let him.

Yet, even though God "returned" immediately, Samson still felt alone because of sin.  Samson's prayer is his way of asking for God to return to him and be on his side of the battle.  God was always there, God always is.

Psalm 28

It's funny that this Psalm has to do with asking for God to listen to you. I have recently been doing a lot of asking for this very thing. Life has seemed to be overwhelming of late and it is times like these that I often ask for God's guidance and direction. I think it is easy to get caught up in the day to day reality and forget to make time to talk to God and listen to his response. I know I should be doing this more but can't seem to make the time.

The sermon on Sunday at Sanctuary was on a similar topic. We read from Romans the passage where Jesus tells the disiples that he is the light, the truth and the way and that no one will come to God without first going through him. Mark's message was that God/Jesus is present at all times with us even if we do not feel him. We, as Christians, believe this and need to always remember this especially in times of trouble.

So as I read tonight from Psalms I was reminded of his message. "The lord is my strength" and I need to remember that at all times.

Psalm 28

I can relate to the emotions of this psalm, but I must admit that I have a very difficult time with the message.

I have always struggled with a God who actively punishes. To me, being ignorant of God's love and living in our own messy sin is punishment...I've never understood why our faith needs to believe God actively punishes. (Yes, this means that I have a very difficult time with the concept of a traditional "Hell" - I could write you a treatise or two on my theology there...it has passed many seminary and church leader tests, but Marcus thinks I'm a complete heretic.)

So much of this Psalm is set up as a ME v. THEM situation....which seems to run contrary to God. We are all created by God and for God. I don't believe God would actively tear them down and refuse to build them up again (v. 5).

It's a human psalm, and I get the human cry behind it on a very visceral level. But it's the cry that I hear in our political life all the time that I try to shout out against. It is too easy to villify "THEM" - and pitting God against "THEM" as well seems a very dangerous thing to do.

This Week's Readings

Monday: Psalm 28
Tuesday: Psalm 28
Wednesday: Judges 16:23-31
Thursday: Revelation 12:7-12
Friday: Philippians 2:14-18, 3:1-4a
Saturday: Jeremiah 6:1-10
Sunday: Isaiah 5-17, Psalm 80:7-15, Philippians 3:4b-14, Matthew 21:33-46

Ezekiel 18:19-24

In verse 22 we read: "Their sins will be forgotten. Because they have done what is right, they will live." As I read this verse I think about the beautiful gift of salvation God has given to each and everyone of us. We are saved by grace thru faith, and how wonderful it is to serve a God who forget our sins if we do what is right!

Ezekiel 18 V 5-18

How much do we really take from our parents through training and mentoring and how much is just what we might call genetics? Do I carry my own biological father inside me, his strengths and weaknesses a part of me no matter how hard I may have tried to be my own person when I was younger. I look to my own brothers and see in them some of the same traits I saw in my Dad as I grew up. We have all been given certain abilities from our parents, my own father gave to us the gift to see and understand most things mechanical as well as an inquisitive mind to use when we look around at our surroundings. Yet this gift, has it been planted in us by God, passed from generation to generation, put in place to serve Him and His plans?

If I look back to Verse # 4 in this chapter I see a truth: " Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child: only those who sin will die."

Here in Ezekiel 18 V 5-18  it is good to see that God will hold us responsible only for our own sins, that we will not have to answer for the sins of our fathers (or Mothers) and that the fate of our children will not be effected by the righteousness or unrighteousness of our own lives.


Praise God that I may live a righteous life and serve Him.

Psalm 25 - 1 thru 9

³ No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause. I attempt to put the first part of this verse into action daily but fail miserably all to often. There is a constant struggle for me to let God be my refuge in all matters.
When I due put my hopes in His hands I have peace of mind and spirit. Why then do I constantly
try and do it my way?

Matthew 9:9-13

Sometimes you do things because you are told they are right and sometimes you do things because you know they are right.  Erin and I are reading  The Help and the whole book is about doing the right thing and how prevailing sentiment influences our decisions.  The author's favorite line from the book is:

"Wasn’t that the point of the book? For women to realize, We are just two people. Not that much separates us. Not nearly as much as I’d thought."

Sometimes the truth and the "right" is directly in front of our face, but we can't see it because our eyes can't see through the opinions of our friends and family.  Going against them makes us vulnerable and subject to ridicule and obscurity.  But Jesus breaks bread with the sinners of the world because those are the ones who need him the most.  Not because it is easy, but because it is right.  He died for that, but guess how it turned out in the end?

Romans 16: 17-20

Interesting verses here. How many people take bits and pieces of the bible and use them to prove their own point or try to sway people to their way of thinking? Using the bible for you own purpose is something that we humans try to do but why? Why can't we take the word of God for truth? Too many times do we try to make our own sense out of what God is trying to tell us.

Take time to really think about the message you are reading. (Great advice for myself since I really slacked on reading it this summer). When I do this I get more out of the message and feel more at peace.

I love the last verse "Enjoy the best of Jesus!" I think we all long for that.

Psalm 106:1-12

Thank God for the Psalms!

September has hit me and the family with a BANG! I'm running around with my head cut off doing everything I can to make sure that I'm prepared for the next hour - haven't gotten to the point yet of looking ahead to the next day. Everyone has a pile of responsibilities and papers that need signed and forms that need filled out and laundry that needs washed and practices they need rides to and homework that needs checked. My brain is running a mile a minute and I can barely see beyond a given moment.

And in rushes the Psalms. Take a deep breath. And put it all in perspective. God is God. God's story and our story are intertwined through the millenia. God was active in Egypt, in the Red Sea - in spite of the people's unfaithfulness.

And God is active now...even when my attention is everywhere else - places that seem important, but are not as important as being grounded in faith. I have sinned, even as my ancestors did (v. 6). Sometimes by commission - but lately by omission - I have not nurtured the link to God that I need. I have been swallowed in so much "stuff" that my feet are slipping.

v. 4. Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people. Come to my aid when you save them.

Taking on a new blogging theme!

For those of you reading along with us, the few of us still blogging met to talk after church today and decided to change directions.  Instead of reading books of the Bible, instead we will be using the the Celebrate insert's "Preparing for Next Week."  On Sunday/Monday we will post the week's readings which can always be found on the back of the Celebrate and the blogger is welcome to take the verses to whatever level they want!

The readings/blogger are:
Monday: Psalm 106:1-12 / Kelly
Tuesday: Romans 16:17-20 / ?
Wednesday Matthew 9:9-13 / Jordan
Thursday Psalm 25 1-9 / Mark
Friday Ezekiel 18:5-18 / Bill
Saturday Ezekiel 18:19-24: ?

Leviticus 27

Well. This book just ends. No wrap up, no "Peace be with you" no "Sincerely, Moses". Just ends.

Can't say that I'm very impressed with the details of this chapter, either. I really love that they explicitly state that females are worth less than males in all circumstances and ages. Harumph.

I'm also really hard pressed to find much of a link to my own life in this chapter. Perhaps the emphasis on tithing, and that the firstborn (firstfruits, first and best) already belong to God. What we give and dedicate is on top of what is already God's by right.

Leviticus 23

God is good. Through Moses He announces festivals for His people to rejoice and praise Him with
sacrifice and rest. He gives abundantly and expects to be praised accordingly. Today my blessings are countless and they are all due to God's grace in my life. Any fortune or happiness
experienced is an unmerited gift from my Father. My role is to share what is mine in all areas
of my life and when I due this God is not only pleased but life is better for me and mine.

Leviticus 22

The Law here is telling us to give our first fruits to God.  The only thing that automatically comes from my paycheck at a true percentage of my earnings is my 401k pre-tax deductions.  How sad is that.  What would God say to that?  I can guess that he would probably say that I am putting my harvest in barns for safekeeping, when I might be taken before I can use it.  The church and others could use my gifts now, not 100 years from now...

Did you know that the U.S. is one of only a few countries that allows tax deductions for money given to charitable causes?  That means that others, who are taxed higher and make less money, truly give that money away not expecting anything in return...

Leviticus 20

When we filed for our marriage license, the state of Colorado asked Marcus and I if we were first cousins. "No" - but apparently it's legal in CO to marry your cousin -they just want to keep track of it if that's the case. With this new information, my loving fiance paused....looked at me, and said "you know, my cousin Jamie is a real looker. Now that I know it would be legal..." Yeah, he's a real cut-up.

Two main things strike me in this passage. First - that this is one of the places in the Bible most cited against homosexuality. Really - and it's in Leviticus....like we actually follow all of this other stuff. Just 12 verses later (v. 25) we're being reminded that we're only allowed to eat Kosher (clean animals, meat separate from dairy). There's stuff in this chapter that I agree with (obviously) but you can't use part of the chapter and ignore another part.

Second - a great deal of this chapter seems to take things out on victims more than I'm comfortable with. Women are killed along with the men who did wrong in many cases - and we all know there's a good chance that it wasn't always consentual sex. Even animals are killed along with the wrongdoers...and that certainly wasn't consentual.

Lovin' Leviticus...

Leviticus 16

This chapter focuses on God giving a specific day for the atonement and forgiveness of the people's sins. Again, there are specific steps that are expected to be followed by Aaron to cleanse the people for their wickedness. Today as Christians are forgiveness has been won by Christ's sacrifice on the cross, He alone has triumphed over the world. He gives us the opportunity to have a relationship with the Father through Him.

Handwritten Bible Project

The Handwritten Bible Project has been completed and posted online. I hadn't heard of the project until today, but it's pretty cool - and some of the interspersed drawings are great.

http://www.deepeningdiscipleship.org.uk/?p=404&dm_i=BVI,I9WZ,3XYIAH,1HH00,1&tr=y&auid=9357518

Leviticus 15

Not sure if I would have rather the skin disease chapter that Kelly blogged on or this one.  Again, the Israelites are given a set of rules that likely promote proper hygiene mixed with some odd views on bodily functions.  Women get the worst of it here.  Once a month they are "unclean" for 7 days and are essentially cut off from society!

Leviticus 13

Skin diseases and uncleanliness....not very inspiring.

It does shed some light on why everyone went to show themselves to the priests after Jesus healed them.

And though I know that leviticus is primarily about living a holy life, this is one of the places where the book sets out some basic health laws for the people. I wouldn't want to be cast out from the community and shout "unclean!" every time someone came near me --- but I can't really think of a better way to enact a quarantine among an illiterate populace.

There are also some very interesting corrolaries between this chapter and race relations in the United States....segregation based on skin, shouts of "unclean".....

I'm also struck by how the priests are set apart not just as religious officials, but as the educated and knowledgeable class in this society. They are the authorities and the most knowledgeable. Things are changing now, but we still see ties to this mentality....the educated pastor who owned more books than other settlers - in the middle ages as the ones who could read and write - the Master's Degree required today in order to become clergy.

Leviticus 8

Coming from a family of preachers, both ordained and not, the ordination of Aaron and his sons seems very special to me. I can't say that any of the ordinations I have been to have had slaughtered bulls or rams, but one or two have ended in a barbeque. I know that one common story I have heard from many of the recently ordained is that it really hits them the first time they preside over communion. Something about being the physical link between God and the congregation is inspiring, energizing and real.

I decided to google the symbolism behind Leviticus and came across a very interesting one here: http://www.evidenceforchristianity.org/index.php?option=com_custom_content&task=view&id=5087

The writer talks about the ram and two bulls being symbols of Jesus and the two thieves which I find pretty interesting. But, I think it was what it was. A ceremony that captured the importance of what it means to be a leader of the flock. Sacrificing these animals and staying at the entrance of the tent for 7 days would have been a big undertaking. In the Lutheran church, our services of ordination are done in large gatherings and the ceremony is a service of the whole church, not just the local congregation. In the written service, people gather around the candidates and read scripture that offer advice and guidance and even rules. It celebrates the importance of the role and asks that it be treated with the respect and humility that it deserves. Sort of like making someone sit outside a tent for 7 days...

Leviticus 2

This chapter gives further instruction on how the Lord requires sacrifice to be offered. It is laid out step by step for those who choose to gratify God for what has been offered to them. The people of this age have lived in bondage and now our on a journey that God is directing through
the leadership of Moses.

Leviticus 1

Leviticus starts where Exodus left off.  The tabernacle has been built and now God meets with Moses in the tent and God meets the people at the altar of burnt offering.  What I appreciate from this chapter is the repeating verse "It is a burnt offering, a food offering, an aroma pleasing to the lord."  The verse makes me think of the presence of God with the people, the people just need a way of acknowledging the presece through thanksgiving.  The verse does not say "doing this will entice God into your presence.." as if we somehow need to conjur God up.

How often in my daily life do I forget God is with me, right next to me?  God is not just near me when I am thinking about Him, God is with me at all times. I should probably sit up straight...

Leviticus?

Think I will start with Leviticus tomorrow.  No idea why, just thought I'd go back to the beginning!  Any objections??

2 Corinthians 13

This is the last chapter of this book. Next?

As I was reading this chapter, I was struck by how harsh it seems - Paul talks about "not sparing" those who sinned, and calls people to examine themselves. It doesn't say much about mercy or kindness.

But in the midst of this, I thought about VBS today. Every time I turned around, it was the minor misbehavior of my son that caught my attention. He wasn't doing anything terrible - just being a young boy - and others assured me that he was really being quite good. BUT - it seemed to me that he was completely out of contol.

The more I have thought about it, the more I realize that I saw his behavior as so much worse than others because my expectations of him are so high. I expect him to know how to behave in church - while so many of the kids we have at VBS don't attend church and just don't know. And I have high expectations of him because he has had so many advantages in his life. And I just plain have high expectations of my children.

So it is with Paul. We (like the Corinthians) have been given every advantage in Christ's grace. We have been nurtured and taught and loved. We know how we are supposed to behave. So the expectations are high. "Examine yourselves, test yourselves" v. 5

2 Corinthians 10

Paul's passion and drive have less to do with a built up self image and more to do with spreading
the Gospel of Christ. His purpose and life's work since traveling that road in Damascus is to spread the Good News to all whether Gentile or Jew. The importance of bringing people to the Light of Jesus Christ can be read chapter after chapter in his letter.

2 Corinthians 9

I remember a game we played in high school in our ecnomics class.  It was a computer simulated "run your own company" game.  Each team started out with the same scenerio and same amount of money and had a choice of how to spend the money.  Either on R&D, reinvestment in the company (machines/upkeep,payroll), marketing etc.  My team decided to take all of our money in the first round and invest in R&D and the company.  Other teams took only small portions of their money, spent some in marketing and saved some assuming that there would a be a period where their costs exceed their profits.  We ran a simulation each week and redistributed our profits etc.

After the first week, our team was untouchable.  Because we invested fully in ourselves, we had the best product to sell and then, of course, the highest profits.  I don't know how much that really plays into the real corporate world, but it fits right in with Paul's words in chapter 9.  You reap what you sow.  If you invest in the good of people and in the God of people, you will see rewards.  You also need to invest in yourself.  Understand this "product" that we should be selling.  The few of us that are blogging and those others that are reading have found this as our personal investment.

I agree that we should keep on trucking with this blog and try and grab a few more people to help out.  What book do we want to blog next?  Personally, I like blogging the books and not the lectionary as it leaves out a lot.  And for someone like me who has never read through this whole thing, I want to dive into the dull parts as much as the good stuff.

2 Corinthians 7 comment

The church in Corinth was in danger of diluting the message of Christ with their immorality. Paul's joy is based on them getting back on track and dealing with a problem within their ranks.
His focus is on building the Body of Christ.

2 Corinthians 7

"Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one." - v. 2

Again, I find myself slightly annoyed by Paul's hubris.

Maybe it's true -- maybe they truly have not wronged, corrupted, or exploited anyone. But it doesn't seem to work that way in the world in which we live.

I earnestly try to approach everyone I know as a child of God. But I know that I have wronged others. I have unintentionally cut people off in traffic. I have not alway spoken kindly of some of my children's classmates. I have exploited more people than I could ever know - simply by purchasing items in a global marketplace. And that doesn't even begin to touch my sins of ommission - all the things I have failed to do and have left undone.

John Wesley (yes, Methodism again - sorry) told us to
- First - do no harm
- Second - do all the good you can in all the places you can and in all the ways you can as long as ever you can.

I work on the second - but I'm really really far from mastering the first.

Comment to Jordan's post "What to do?"

I am not sure that there needs to be a pause in the action more than there needs to be some sort of strategy to encourage more participation and dialog. I think that we should target the study and readings around the two lessons and the Gospel from Sunday each week. We can have someone post Monday related to the first lesson - Tuesday will be for comments on that posting - Wednesday a Post related to the second lesson - Thursday will be for comments to that post - Friday a post related to the Gospel - Saturday for comments. Sunday for church and maybe bible study related to the posting and comments. Just an Idea.

2 Corinthians Chapter 4

V18 While we look at the things which are seen, but at the things that are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. (KJV)

What a concept! If you only live in the now, the present, you will only know the things you can see and will have no perception of the existence of anything else. No yesterday, no tomorrow, all you will experience is the reality of the now.

Yet, God has given us a gift. He has given us the ability to not only live in the now but to remember what has happened in the near and far past and to forecast what we hope to see and do in the future. But even with this gift, God is saying here that what we can see is temporal, existing only in our minds the moment they happen. He is also saying that there are things not seen like the grace of His love for us that is eternal. All we need to do is accept His gift on faith and it will be ours for eternity, unseen yet very real.

2 Corinthians 3

v16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord from his sins, then the veil is taken away. Paul's
letter is without debate, the only way to the Father and the Glory that is prepared is through
belief and faith in Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross gives all the opportunity of everlasting life.
How will I praise God today for giving such a gift? A start is by reading His Word and then moving through my day with the presence of being in Christ in my thoughts and actions.
Easier said than done but my motivation is geared toward this.

Where do we go from here?

Although the number of participants has diminished what is the benefit of a pause? I believe as many Christians do that daily reading of God's Word is beneficial. As I had expressed previously
my hope is that more members may have an interest in participating. My concern is that a "pause" would bring an end to the blog.

What to do with the blog?

You may have read in the newsletter that council discussed the blog at their last meeting.  The discussion was not very in depth and no motion was made, but the question posed was whether the community of bloggers would like to consider a pause in the action?  The reason being that it seems to have dwindled a little bit and may need a fresh boost.  Again, council is not looking for any action, just posing the question.  What do people think?

2 Corinthians 2

Paul seems to be having trouble with these people in Corinth.  After that huge build-up in his coming to Corinth at the end of 1st Corinthians, it looks like his meeting with them was "painful" (v 2) and that he even wrote another letter "tearfully" (v 4).  You have to wonder what was going on there.  What I love about these letters is that there is so much raw human emotion in the words yet there is also an eloquence that transcends time.  Almost every other verse is something you can pin to your wall and live by, and this chapter ends with just such a verse:

Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

1 Corinthians 16

The end of the letter....filled with all the details of everyday life. Travel plans, news of familiar friends and their plans, the nitty gritty of money collections.

And then this strange sentence in the midst of the benediction - "If anyone does not love the Lord, let that person be cursed! Come, Lord[b]!" v. 22.

I'm not sure what to do about the cursing part....my general experience is that distance from God's love is its own curse.

But I also don't think I'd ever end a communication with "Come Lord!" Paul's expectaion for the end of time and the culmination of Christ's work is so intense. And my Bible notes state that this line "Come Lord!" was a common expresssion in the early church.

What would it be to be part of a church that cried out "Come Lord!" - with all the comfort and all the change and all the upheaval that such a cry implies? And when we use similar words in some of the communion liturgies, do we really mean it?

1 Corinthians 12

The people are the Body of Christ all with different attributes and all necessary for the functioning of the church. Whether it's Corinth or Quincy the congregation is reponsible for the task of living in Christ. For me having a place such as Faith to come and be part of that Body is such a blessing. Reading the Bible, worshipping, and simply being a part of this community of Christians strengthens my faith and I can thank God for that.

1 Corithians 11

I'm not going to go near the head covering thing...

There was a time where before communion I would center myself.  After communion I would pray or sing the communion anthem.  Then kids happened and I sometimes miss the closeness to God that comes wth the feast.  Yet, luckily and as Kelly noted in chapter 9, Corinth makes me feel a little better.  At least the service of Holy Communion has not become a party where some indulge and others are left off the table.

Communion is our time to be physically connected to God.  Where we can see, touch and taste the goodness of God and remember His Son.  As Paul writes in verse 26, it is not just a personal self reflection and connection but an outward act of witness: "whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."  For us shy Lutherans, it might be our greatest act of evangelism!

Comment 1 Corinthians 9

They are suppose to come together to worship Jesus but instead are caught up in endless distraction, this church has lost its way. Is this because they lack a true understanding of what
Christ's life, death, and resurrection means to them as Christians? Paul's writing expresses concern for the actions of this congregation because they are motivated by their own beliefs
and not that of their Father who created them.

1 Corinthians 9

Is there any problem that this church in Corinth is NOT having? Bickering, debating, sexual immorality, all sorts of inter-marriage quetions, taking each other to court, and how much (or whether) to pay the pastor....and we've hit chapter 9. I know that congregations can be difficult - and life together is never easy. But, WOW, this is turning out to be one very dysfunctional group.

And yet, God uses them. I like that the church in Corinth is in the Bible. Because reading about the church in Acts can make me feel like our church is so far away from where we should be. They do everything perfectly, love each other perfectly, give their material possessions perfectly....But the church in Corinth is pretty messed up. They fight with each other, argue about how to best serve God, struggle to honestly understand what God is asking of them.

I've never been in a church where things have gotten as bad as they seem to be in Corinth. But when I find myself living in the midst of struggling times in a congregation's life....I like to know that God is active in the midst of it all. God uses it, helps it along, makes it grow. And centuries later, it still stands. As we are a bit unsettled right now....I need this book.

1 Corinthians 5

Paul lambasts those of the church in Corinth because they are still holding to some beliefs that have no place since the establishment of Christ's church. He passionately makes it clear that
living as a Christian and believing in Jesus is what their focus must be. Paul fears that the immorality that is going on in the church will continue to take away from Jesus's message and he is trying albeit quite sternly to wake them up to his concerns.

I Corinthians 4 Comment

Thank you for your kind words. We do seem to have a larger number signed up who may find it hard to join in, but if you do it once or twice it gets easier. I hope the blog can grow and that we can have interesting dialogs on the words we find in the Bible; it will help us grow in our faith. I know the blog is helping me to really read and understand what the Bible is telling me. (see Bonhoeffer's letter I posted after Revelation 9)

Maybe we can find a way to get more participation and interest.

Back to work.....
Bill Macfeeley

1Corinthians 4

More than the content of this chapter, I'm struck by its tone. What type of reputation must Paul have had to be able to write a letter like this - to people he had not seen in a few years - and sound so sanctimonious?

He chastises them all for their bickering - v. 14 "to admonish you as my beloved children" - and still seems to be respected. In fact, the letter was cherished enough by the community that received it that it has survived for 2000 years. I know I would not respond well AT ALL to letter in this tone. The 8-year old inside me would come out and I'd bicker with my neighbor precisely because this know-it-all letter had told me not to.

I'm interested to see how theology is flushed out in the coming chapters. This letter was written 20 years earlier than the 1st of the gospels....what stories and teachings were discussed this early on?

- Did anyone else notice that Bill's post on Friday was post #1,000?

1st and 2nd Corinthians it is!

Starting Friday :)

1 Corinthians Chapter 1

3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.

Two opening statements from the Apostle Paul to the new church in Corinth, the first in greeting the second in thanksgiving. Here we find a timeless letter where a shephard is leading his flock helping them discover their way to God. He instructs them to be united in thought and mind, to agree with one another and to not let anything divide them in their mission to serve God.

Where do we go from here? Pray to God, praise God and reflect on the words written by Paul in faithfulness to his church. Today we can find our strength in heeding Pauls teachings, trusting that God is stronger and wiser than we can ever hope to be and that he loves us. In this book I hope to find a map to God, spelled out by Christ's true Apostle, Paul.

30 It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Revelation 22

v20 "He who has said all these things declares: Yes, I am coming soon!" This book finishes with
Jesus's declaration of His imminent return and for all of us to heed His message. Christ will reveal Himself in all His glory as the Father has foretold and all will stand before the King. Alleluia!

Not Revelation...but

The 7th-9th grade Sunday School class had discussed the last Harry Potter book when it came out. As I'm off to see the movie on Friday, found this link that's a pretty impressive discussion of the themes as they relate to Christianity.

http://catholicmoraltheology.com/harry-potter-and-a-love-stronger-than-death/

Revelation 21

The new city coming down from the sky, bedazzled like an 8 year old's Barbie doll.  A perfect city guarded by 12 angels who will keep out all things evil.  Where is the fun in that?

It is the earlier words in verses 3 and 4 that we cherish whenever something just goes horribly wrong in life.  A natural disaster, a human disaster or an unexpected tragedy.  In the new world, God will be with us and among us and we will not know pain or sorrow.  These words give comfort because sometimes a pain is too deep to deal with (presently/immediately) in this world.  Knowing that there is healing in the future allows us to be present.

What do we blog starting Friday?

Revelation 19 (and 17, 18)

There is great joy in heaven over the fall of the powerful nation of Babylon.

In the car this morning, I caught the first 10 minutes of "Talk of the Nation" on NPR - which focused its first hour on a discussion of the shift in the US military to rely increasingly on drones, or UAVs. The United States is currently using drones to drop bombs in 6 countries (Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, and Somalia). And though this makes life safer and easier for us, I have spent the rest of the day thinking about the morality of warfare by unmanned robotics. From our safe computer terminals in South Dakota, we are killing people in these countries.

We are safer - but without the risks of war, we are unlikely to seek peace. How would Augustine's Just War Theory be applied to this? When the two sides are so vastly unequal, can it be called "war"?

I do not mean to villify America - but to raise the concern. 19:10 states: At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”

We are to worship God, not country. And while modern America may not be the same as Babylon - there are parallels. We must be on guard - to act justly and love mercy.

Revelation 16 The Great Tribulation

God has given the world a choice, choose Christ and die or be marked for the Beast and live. In this vision many choose Christ, die, and are seen in Heaven before the throne on the crystal sea. Others choose the easier route, worship a false god, are marked and continue to live. God then visits on them the seven bowls of wrath, designed to kill as many of those marked for the Beast as possible clearing the way for Christ's return and the "New Millennium".

How many times in our life here are we faced with decisions and we almost always take the easy path, thinking we are being smart and saving time.

When the choice is between answering God's call or turning away and hoping someone else will take care of the "problem", what will you do?

Revelation 15

Victory is ultimately our Father's. The struggle we as humans have with keeping Christ as the focus is key to triumphing over all evils. No one knows the hour except the Father, we are to live each day striving to better understand and live the Word. The time we as humans have is but a blink. How will I use this precious gift today?

Revelation 14

Here we are back to 144,000.  Pure people who seem to be without sin and they sing a song that only they can learn.  What would an unlearnable song sound like?  REM's "Its the end of the world as we know it" is both appropriate and hard to REMember, right?  Right.

Well it certainly is the end of the world if you find yourself tossed in a giant wine press.  The surealism of this chapter makes me think that Salvador Dali had his hand in this vision.  What can one make of these ripe grapes?  God doesn't gleefully stomp us to juice, just as a parent does not get joy from punishing a kid.  You don't see angels leaping out of their chair to bring justice, they are commanded.

What I take to heart here is that God calls us to get off our vine before we sour.  God's time is infinite and relative, our time is now.

Revelation 12

Figures...one of the places where my theology differs most from "traditional Lutheran theology" is the topic of today's chapter. Brace yourselves, and I'm fine if you decide to call me a heretic.

The struggles I have with this chapter (and with "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" - traditional version) is that it sets the world/cosmos/reality up as a battle between Good v. Evil. It's God v. the Devil, Black v. White, Yes v. No....and we are all living between these two poles - God and the Devil.

I'm not comfortable with this dichotomy. I don't see the world in polar opposites. To me, there is God and there is "All that is not God." I fight for, serve, and strive to emulate God. My focus is on God. And God alone.

I do not focus on fighting "the Devil." To me, it's too simple to say that evil is the polar opposite of God. God is the light, and we can stray from that light in a myriad of ways. Walking away from the light does not mean walking "towards" something/someone else.

Our reality has so much grey...Even as I read about battles in history, I have learned that the issues are rarely clear-cut. Wars are more often about power and control and wealth. They are almost never about good v. bad.

We do not live in a world on a line - oscillating between the extremes of God and Devil. We live in orbit around the Sphere of God. And we can walk quite far into the darkness away from that sphere.

So, in short, not my favorite chapter in the Bible. And I'm rather disturbed at how much of our culture's idea of the Devil comes out of this chapter in Revelation. We seem to discard a great deal of Revelation as troublesome and murky...yet these images of serpent and Heavenly battle have made their way into the common consciousness.

Letter from Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1936

I know we are now blogging the book of Revelation but in my reading this week I found this letter from Dietrich Bonhoeffer to his brother in law Rudiger Schleicher, written in 1936. In it I have found a powerful message and clear instructions on how to "Read" the Bible and, I pray, be patient and receptive when God reveals Himself to me through the Word.

I have attached the letter here to share with others - enjoy!

Peace

Bill MacFeeley

Letter from Dietrich Bonhoeffer to Rudiger Schleicher 1936

First of all I will confess quite simply – I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. Only if we expect from it the ultimate answer, shall we receive it. That is because in the Bible God speaks to us. And one cannot simply think about God in one’s own strength, one has to enquire of Him. Only if we seek Him, will He answer us.

Of course it is also possible to read the Bible like any other book, that is to say from the point of view of textual criticism, etc.; there is nothing to be said against that. Only that that is not the method which will reveal to us the heart of the Bible, but only the surface, just as we do not grasp the words of someone we love by taking them to bits, but by simply receiving them, so that for days they go on lingering in our minds, simply because they are the words of a person we love; and just as these words reveal more and more of the person who said them as we go on, like Mary, “pondering them in our heart,” so it will be with the words of the Bible. Only if we will venture to enter into the words of the Bible, as though in them this God were speaking to us who loves us and does not leave us along with our questions, only so shall we learn to rejoice in the Bible…..

If it is I who determine where God is to be found, then I shall always find God who corresponds to me in some way, who is obliging, who is connected with my nature. But if God determines where he is to be found, then it will be in a place which is not immediately pleasing to my nature and which is not at all congenial to me. This place is the Cross of Christ. And whoever would find him must go to the foot of the Cross, as the Sermon on the Mount commands. This is not according to our nature at all; it is entirely contrary to it. But this is the message of the Bible, not only in the New but also in the Old Testament.

And I would like to tell you now quite personally:

Since I have learnt to read the Bible in this way – and this has not been for so very long – it becomes every day more wonderful to me. I read it in the morning and the evening, often during the day as well, and every day I consider a text, which I have chosen for the whole week, and try to sink deeply into it, so as really to hear what it is saying. I know that without this I could not live properly any longer.


Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1936

Revelation 9

V 12 The first woe is past; two other woes are yet to come.

The fifth and sixth angels are sounding their trumpets.

Have you ever had a bad day, possibly at work where everything seems to go wrong and the locus can be found covering your desk and won't go away.

John is describing a vision that is that day times 1000. Clearly the fallen star when the fifth angel sounds the trumpet is Satan and the abyss is Hell.

Our hope is that we one of those marked by God as his own.

Pray constantly, praise God constantly and love eternally.

Revelation 8

What can be said about this chapter? It certainly doesn't sound like a pleasant day at the beach.
It describes a turning point on earth for all those who happen to be alive. No one knows the hour of this series of events except the Father. As Christians we are given the opportunity to come to Jesus as our Savior, this gift does have an expiration. Life is fleeting, Christ is constant and my role is to strive to follow where He would lead me.

Comment to Revelation 7

Some more tea leaves found in the cup:

13 Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?" 14 I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

What is the great tribulation and are we today in the middle of it? Does every generation have to face it's own trials and tribulations before accepting God's grace and salvation through Christ's sacrifice on the cross. When we leave this life and pass to the next and come to God our sins will be washed clean because we have accepted Christ's gift. We will stand and praise God with every thought and action.

17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

No more will we worry or have the daily stress found in getting through the day. In this vision as described in Revelation 7, God is central and the only focus. Praise God!

Is it possible living in this world to turn towards God, worship and praise Him without distraction or pause? Can we praise Him only in thought and word or can we also take action whenever we are called as a form of praise?

Revelation 7

I think I need someone with the gift of reading tea leaves to help me get through this book.  What are 144,000 sealed individuals?  Were these the disciples who went out and gathered the multitudes mentioned later in the chapter?  These "sealed" people were sealed with a mark on their forehead, now that is something that sounds rather familiar!

I was looking this stuff up a little and the Jehovah's Witnesses used to claim themselves as the 144,000, until that is, their number surpassed 144,000.  Seems that all of us can get a little carried away if we think of ourselves "more chosen" than the rest.

Maybe that is what John is telling us in this confusing tale.  That you can do math, study history and read deeply into the symbolism of this text, but in the end, all you have is a pile of tea leaves.  God is the central theme.  The worship of the angels and His followers is what we should emulate.  If we can...

Revelation 5

13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”



Why is it that "every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea" can praise so freely and completely? While those of us made in the image of God are so incapable of praising like that?

We second-guess our praise. We limit and control ourselves. We do not give all of ourselves to anything - even God - all of the time.

I'm spending the week with my 3-year old neice. We're in her house, visiting museums, struggling to maintain anything like a normal diet. This evening, after 5 hours at the chidlren's museum, she had a major melt-down. The passion that rang out from behind her bedroom door was unmistakable! She screamed and threw her whole body into her fury. For quite some time.

Somehow, by the time my chidren have reached the age of 7, we've left that sort of extreme passion behind. We've learned to moderate ourselves - our fury and our joy. We no longer laugh and shriek with such wild abandon.

And we no longer praise without that same modulation. 'Tis a sin.

Revelation 3

In Revelation 3, verse 16, John writes to the church of Laodicca, "But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am ready to spit you of my mouth". We serve a Lord that does tolerate a mediocre spiritual life, He calls us to serve Him and serve him whole-heartedly. There are so many opportunities to serve Him....throughout the church. In today's non-stop world, it can be hard to carve out our God time but we know He will be faithful if we serve. In verse 10 we are told, "You have obeyed my teaching about not giving up your faith. So I will keep you from the time of trouble that will come to the whole world to test those who live on earth". God is calling....are we listening?

Revelation 2

7 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

Here the Lord dictates to John what he is to write to the churches, explaining what they do right and what they are doing wrong. Wouldn't it be something if we could get such clear instructions directly from the Lord today. In some ways life would be easier if everything we need to do could be spelled out, clear directions given, as to how we can please the Lord and what really makes him mad.

Is the Lord clearly speaking to us in our time? Do we have the ability to listen in the quiet way it may take to hear Him speak in our busy loud world. In the noise that surrounds us, the constant activiny we are distracted by, can we direct our attention to listen to God when he speaks to us.

Whoever has ears, let them hear.

Revelation 1

Jesus comes to John in all His glory to have him make record of what is yet to come. God is, and was, and is to come. Christ's return is what all Christians anticipate, the promise of everlasting residence with the King of all kings. I've never read this book and I am very interested for what is to follow in the coming chapters.

3 John

This chapter almost seems a response to Sue's post as well!  Some church seems to be closing its doors and John wants them open for his evangelists. In other words, keep the doors open to those you feel are coming with good and honest intentions.  Those who are tired, give them rest and those who just have a bunch of questions about God, well, be Lutheran and give them more questions to ponder.

As Kelly and Mark have noted, though, there is also the temptation to let others "into your house" who you know do not have your interest or God's interest at heart.  Those people, you need to push back out.  If God has intentions to change them, God may work through you to do so, but that healthy physical and emotional boundary must be in place!

comment

Okay - not Mark anymore -- just me as the last holdout who cannot comment correctly - sorry!

These verses you mention make sense to me on a gut-level. There have been times in my life, and people in my life, who have dragged me away from what I know to be true. Decades later, I can label the phenomenon as "lack of self-differentiation" - but at the time, I all I knew was that I was getting sucked into someone else's grief/pain/struggle and losing touch with my own sense of self.

We are all changed by the people in our lives. Sometimes it is through intentional commitments (marriage, for example). And sometimes it happens over years of relationship. On the plus side, this means we can show others Christ. On the negative side, it means that we need to be careful who we surround ourselves with.

These thoughts are also on my mind a great deal as I send my daughter into the world increasingly on her own. How will she change those around her, and how will they change her? And where do we draw those lines that are necessary between our children and the dangers in their world?

2 John

This chapter/book was not all inspiring. It seems to say the same thing John had been writing about in 1 John. The command seems pretty cut and dry; follow the commandments and love one another. So why is this so hard to do?

We get so caught up in our daily lives of trying to make ends meet that I think we forget that life is not all about taking care of ourselves. Making money seems to overshadow helping people. Especially when you are having trouble supporting your family, as many of us are in this economy. Helping others and volunteering our time is usually low on our list of things to do.

The part of this chapter that disturbed me were verses 8&9 when John tells the woman that people who do not believe in Jesus as Messiah are deceivers and antichrist and you should not allow them in your house. I thought that part of our calling as Christians was to share the good news and help others come to accept Christ???

Any thoughts?

Comment

This chapter reiterates what is my daily focus, that through Jesus I can have a relationship with the Father. He came to save us from death with His sacrifice. God has delivered us through Christ and those who reject His son reject the Light of the world and will forever remain in darkness.

1 John 5

Thanks to Mr. MacFeeley for getting the last chapter. I have found blogging on Sundays to be rather difficult, since my head is often on many other scriptures that day. For the time being, I'm going to blog on Mondays instead.

This chapter really threw me for a loop - even more so than the rest of the book. I've never been overly enamoured with John's writing -- he seems more interested in poetic phrases than saying what he means. And this chapter is one of the worst - cyclical statements about Love and God and Spirit and water and blood. And the very strange reference in v. 16 about the "sin that does lead to death" that we are not told to pray about. Huh?

So I dug out my shortest commentary. Apparently, the chapter (and the book) was mostly likely written to refute those who were claiming that the Messiah and God were about Spirit -- that the messy, bloody, bodily Jesus could not be God. God is Love, God is Spirit (they claimed). John writes to say "No, God is flesh and blood."

This doesn't help me with v. 16 (I still have no satisfactory answer there, even after the reference books). BUT...I see how important the rest of the chapter is.

We still, over a thousand years later, fall into the trap of wanting a spiritual God. Our lives are messy. The lives of those around us are messy. God doesn't keep his hands clean and stay apart and "spiritual." God jumps into the carnality - literally. God is flesh.

In a society where we see so much more of other religions, it is important to remember that this belief is what makes us stand out. We know that Spirit is not enough to be the fullness of Truth. The Creator, the Source, the Power, the One....Must also be Flesh.