Hebrews 10:5-7

Hebrews 10:5-7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  It struck me tonight -- Christ had the power to do or have anything he wanted.  What would you do if you had no limit to your resources?  What would you do if you could do anything, without limit?  How would you spend your time, your energy, your life?  Would you invest in yourself?
  Or would you choose to offer up your life to the poor, the hungry, the outcast?  Would you serve those who have chosen sin?  Would you give everything up so that others may join you in the glory you deserve, even though destruction may be the most fitting end for them?
  Christ chose to love and to serve, to give himself up for sinners.  He could have had anything.  What he wanted was eternal life with you.
  How will you respond to such a gift, such an outpouring of love?

Hebrews 10:1-4

Hebrews 10:1-4
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  It's easy to say that the old law is completely bad, but that would be a mistake.  It pointed forward, to what was to come, and it taught the people that they were not perfect and in need of God's grace.
  Discipline is a tough subject.  Rachel and I talk about it a lot--how to do it right without going overboard, communicating our love and yet the fact that some of the kids' actions are unacceptable.  It's a tightrope, always trying to do the right thing without going too far in one direction, trying to teach the children how to grow while reminding them of our love.
  God does the same for us.  He disciplines us, reminding us of our sin, and yet he makes a path forward so that we can grow.  We don't sit in sin and despair -- we learn that sin is wrong and grow, recognizing the grace that abounds and the freedom we are afforded.  Thanks be to God for pruning us so that we may continue to grow, for teaching us what is wrong so that we may cling to what is right.

Hebrews 9:25-28

Hebrews 9:25-28
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  As we draw closer to Christmas, the miracle is astounding -- a child, vulnerable and dependent, is born to a young virgin, also vulnerable.  God chooses this path, and though it leads to the cross, it also leads through it, to the abundant life that is on the other side.  Christ only has to do this once, but even once is immensely difficult.  God does this for us, because there is hope once death is defeated.
  If we were left to our own efforts, upon our death we would have nothing to offer as payment for our sins, for our good deeds would not outweigh our guilt.  Christ steps into this void, offering himself as payment, making it possible for us to receive the glory Christ deserves.
  Christ has done this for us.  Let us rejoice as Christmas comes near, giving thanks for all God has done!

Hebrews 9:23-24

Hebrews 9:23-24
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Picture the most beautiful place you've ever been.  Think of the happiest moment of your life.  Think of the place that gives you the most peace.
  All of these are wonderful gifts from God, and yet each and every one is surpassed by the glory and greatness of Heaven.
  These wonderful moments we have on earth are snapshots -- they are momentary glimpses into what heaven will be like.  They are signposts along the way, indicating the joy and peace and happiness and contentment we will ultimately find in God.  None is a perfect copy, but each is a reflection of the attributes of heaven.
  So let us give thanks for these moments of beauty here on earth, and may we find them even more precious by trusting that God has even better moments in store.

Hebrews 9:18-22

Hebrews 9:18-22
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  So I'll admit that I stopped giving blood some time ago.  I used to go fairly regularly, but then they wouldn't let me after I was in England for too long, and then they wouldn't let me because I was in Honduras, and after that it was just easy for me to not give.  I fell out of the routine, and I wasn't too excited to return to giving.  Why?  Because there is a giant needle in my arm and it hurts, mostly.
  Extracting blood bears a cost.  It's never easy and rarely painless.  In old sacrificial system, it demonstrated the high price to be paid for sin.  Sin is not a thing easily forgotten.  As Christ made the last necessary sacrifice, the blood of Christ, poured out for sin, demonstrates the high price Christ was willing to pay so that we could be reconciled to him.  Christ's blood was not too high a price -- God wanted you back so badly that God would pay any price to redeem us.
  Think about that as you go forth today -- God loves you immensely, and no price was too high to redeem you.

Hebrews 9:13-17

Hebrews 9:13-17
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 Christ died for a purpose:  to redeem sinners who were otherwise lost.  With his death, he paid the price we had been trying (and failing) to pay for sin, and he made it possible for us to have hope in the face of despair -- sin was no longer a dead end, for Christ had made a way out through his perfect sacrifice.
  Indeed, we are heirs.  In order for us to receive our inheritance, the one who grants this must die, and this is exactly what Christ does.  His death flings open the door to eternal life, and we are welcomed in as a free gift.
  It's as though we were all starving to death, and the richest man in town opened up his house and promised to feed us all we could possibly want and more.  In the darkest of nights, the light of Christ shone fiercely, paving the way to hope!

Hebrews 9:8-12

Hebrews 9:8-12
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  We want so badly to be in control.  We want to drive the car, to have Jesus as our co-pilot and confirm that we are doing the right things.  We want religion to fit into its place in our lives, and we want to be sure that nothing God asks of us is too great of an inconvenience.  We want a religion that is safe and pre-determined.
  Instead, God comes to us, offering to release us from sin and fear and doubt and shame.  In return, he asks for everything, promising us that we will be in a more abundant and fruitful place if we hand ourselves over, but God never promises that it will be easy, and Christianity is not a safe choice that will stay confined to one part of your life.  It will take over, changing the way we see the world and asking for more and more, displacing lesser things until all of life is a joyful, living sacrifice to Christ.
  We get so much more in return than we could ever give, but it's not easy to give.  It's not easy to give up control, to let God be in charge, to admit that we don't know the best way.  This is hard, but it is worth it.

Hebrews 9:1-7

Hebrews 9:1-7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  The lesson here is that there was a place where we could not go.  Our sin separated us from the holiest part of the temple, and there was no path in.  A high priest entered the space once a year, but for the rest of us, we were doomed to sit outside and lament our sin, hoping against hope that mercy might trickle through to us.
  Instead, God brought the curtain separating us crashing down, and mercy radiated out to transform us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who willingly crossed the barrier so that we might be brought into the full presence of God through his atonement for our sin.  Only through Christ do we find the path to true life, and so we go boldly forward in his holy name.

Hebrews 8:7-13

Hebrews 8:7-13
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

   Have you ever made a commitment you haven't lived up to?  Have you promised someone something that you didn't deliver?  Have you fallen short?
  It's a terrible feeling, and it can be made worse depending on the person you're dealing with.  They can choose to remind you, over and over again, of your failures.
  We fell short on our commitment to God.  We promised we would live a certain way, but instead we chose selfishness and idolatry.
  God, however, decided that he would forgive, rather than punish.  God chose to create a new law, written on our minds and hearts, that would make it possible for us to find redemption and grace in him.
  Though we fail, God never does.  Thanks be to God!

Hebrews 8:1-6

Hebrews 8:1-6
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 We long for heaven.  We know that things on this earth are not how they should be, and heaven is the place where all will be set right, where pain and death and sorrow will be no more.  Heaven is the place where sin will not doggedly pursue us, where we will be able to sit in the presence of God and rest in his peace.
  On earth, we find reflections of such a place.  They remind us of our purpose, of our Creator, of what might be.  We have moments, snapshots of the Kingdom of Heaven, and they are sparks within us, driving us to live in such a way as to duplicate that Kingdom here on earth.
  May God's Kingdom come.  Christ serves as priest, bringing our prayers before God and making us worthy to sit in his presence.  Through Christ, we have access to God.  May we continually give thanks, and may we live with eyes and ears and hearts wide open, searching for evidence of the Kingdom and sharing it for all to see.

Hebrews 7:20-28

Hebrews 7:20-28
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  It's exhausting to try and keep up with sin.  Imagine if you tried to keep a list, and then to offer a sacrifice for each and every sin.  You'd have no time for anything else, and you'd be so weary at the end of every day from trying to fix an ever growing list of sins that you'd eventually discover you can't fix on your own.  Eventually, you'd just collapse under the weight of ongoing sin.
  And so God offers us a solution in Jesus Christ.  Rather than hoping you'll eventually get caught up and repair the bridge to God on your own, God reaches out and reaches down to us and offers the perfect sacrifice, once and for all, that atones for our sin.  God relieves us from the oppressive burden of sin and frees us to live in joy and hope, so that others may come to see God at work through us.

Hebrews 7:15-19

Hebrews 7:15-19
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  We are broken.  It's due to sin, and just like Humpty Dumpty at the bottom of the wall, we can't be made right purely by concentration of human effort.  It takes more than human effort to fix us -- it takes an act of God, and this is exactly what we have in Jesus Christ.
  In the midst of so much else going on in life, it's so easy to forget what God did for us.  Because God loves you, God took on human flesh, ascended the cross and died so that you might not have to suffer the full punishment of your sins.  Because of God's love, you now have hope, rather than despair.  Because of God's love for you, we have a better hope that brings us close to God.
  So be grateful today.  Be bold and confidant and assured that no matter what happens, God loves you, and you have a firm hope that cannot be taken from you.

Hebrews 7:8-14

Hebrews 7:8-14
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 Here, the preacher makes a transition from speaking of Melchizedek, the ancient priest, to Jesus Christ, the new priest.  Jesus doesn't come from the tribe of Levi, which was the traditional priestly tribe.  Instead, Jesus comes from the tribe of Judah, which was the tribe of David, the tribe of Kings.  See, Jesus wasn't just a priest, passing along our offerings and communicating what God had to say to us.  Jesus was also a King, and so he had power, the ability to change things.  Unlike some self-concerned kings, Jesus was more concerned about the people over which he ruled than himself.
  Because of this, Jesus made the perfect sacrifice, and when he rose from the dead, he did so with the power to rule over all creation.  He was the priest who repaired our relationship with God, and he was the King who ruled in power for us!  The King laid himself down so that you might join with him in his realm.

Hebrews 7:4-7

Hebrews 7:4-7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Abraham, who chose to honor Melchizedek, made it clear who was superior when he gave 10% of what he had to Melchizedek.
  In the same way, when we give money to the glory of God, we're making a declaration about who is worthy of more honor.  By freely sacrificing, we admit that it isn't all about us -- what we have is meant to be directed for the glory of God.  We aren't trying to build up monuments for ourselves.  We're trying to contribute to God's glory, and so we give freely for God's honor.

Hebrews 7:1-3

Hebrews 7:1-3
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Melchizedek kind of comes out of nowhere.  He seems to play a small role in Genesis, and yet here in Hebrews he is referenced and given center stage.  He plays a much larger role than he probably imagined.
  The lesson here, in my opinion, is that you don't truly understand the impact of your actions.  You may be able to grasp the short-term impact, but the long-term impact is far beyond our ability to grasp it.  As a pastor I greatly respect once said, "You may be the answer to someone's prayer."  The hard part is internalizing that you may not see the answer realized.  You may not gain the satisfaction of seeing the full impact of your actions, but you impact people everyday, and that impact often lasts far longer than you might imagine.
  So continue to serve and love and give freely.  Trust that this will impact others more than you know, and that the Holy Spirit will use your life to glorify God.

Hebrews 6:13-20

Hebrews 6:13-20
Contemporary English Version (CEV)


  There are so many great reminders in here.
  First of all, there is no one or no thing greater than God.  What we often do is put things in God's place, and while we don't intentionally think of it this way, when we try and find peace or security or meaning by another path, we are giving these things (such as money or success or renown) more power than God.  God was, is and always will be, and only he can rule over the universe and meet our heart's deepest desires.
  Secondly, God's promises will never be broken.  All the promises that Christ has made about enduring and overcoming -- those will all be fulfilled.  No matter how dark and bleak things may seem, the light of Christ will always shine, and it will overcome in the end.  We are charged with enduring to the end to see the final result.  So our hope in Christ's promises should be an anchor for us, a security in the midst of blowing storms and crashing waves.  We cling to our hope in Christ,
  Finally, Jesus has gone ahead of us.  We don't follow a Savior who doesn't know what it's like to be in our place -- we follow a Savior who has walked the road, who has endured the trials and suffering, all so that we may join him in glory!

Hebrews 6:9-12

Hebrews 6:9-12
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  The preacher here in Hebrews is trying to encourage the people, all the while urging them forward, to stay faithful, to not let the allures of comfort and ease draw them away from the difficult road of discipleship.
  It's challenging to stay faithful, to keep your vision focused on Christ.  One day runs into another, and the awe of Easter fades as other demands press in, all the while our attention is drawn to easier ways.  These alternatives may not offer the same ultimate reward, but it's easy to forget long-term goals when you long for short-term fulfillment.  Our willpower is rarely strong!
  So let us stay faithful, because God remembers the good we have done, and because we are following the example of those who have come before us, those who stayed faithful and true.

Hebrews 6:4-8

Hebrews 6:4-8
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  It's an ongoing question for all of us -- what about those who don't believe?  The Bible seems to address this in many places, including here, where the preacher in Hebrews tells us that those who have believed and then turned back are doomed.  If someone has come to know the love of God and believe in all that God offers, to turn back on that is to insult God, as though the providence of God is not enough.
  I don't have the answers for big questions.  I've certainly wrestled with them a lot, and at the end of the day I trust that the God who comes as Judge will be the same God who comes as Savior, and that Savior was merciful and gracious, and I expect him to continue to exhibit mercy and love.  God rules from on high in love and seeks peace, and so I trust that what God does will be right, and that some day I might glimpse an understanding of how God rules, including how God deals with those who know the fullness of his love and reject it still.

Hebrews 6:1-3

Hebrews 6:1-3
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 What's your next step?
  Have you given thought to how you want to grow in faith?  We are encouraged to never stop growing, but we often tend to take growth for granted, assuming that it will just happen along the way.  How much wiser would it be for us to spend time thinking about how we want to grow so that we will act with intention, learning or developing along a certain path.  We don't have to be legalistic about it, but pursue growth with a path in mind, to ensure that we aren't just cruising, but actively moving down the road that Christ has called us to walk.

Hebrews 5:11-14

Hebrews 5:11-14
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  As we grow, we change.
  Our kids don't eat baby food forever -- as they mature, they're ready to be challenged by new foods, to try new things and see how they are developing.
  As Christians, we grow as well.  We don't receive messages meant for children forever.  As we grow, we are challenged by Scripture and forced to concentrate on what God is saying to us, because as the undercurrent of his love never changes, the delivery does.  As we grow there will be tough challenges that make us reconsider what we know about how our life relates to God.  Children might not be able to handle a tough message, but we should be able to.  Our faith should strengthen and grow, and so we move beyond the simple into the complex, all the while remembering the foundation that is built in the early days of our faith.
  How do you let yourself be challenged?

Hebrews 5:5-10

Hebrews 5:5-10
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

  The obedience of Christ led him to a place where he can 'save forever all who obey him'.  Obedience, which was excruciatingly difficult at the time, paid dividends later.
  In our consumerist society, we like to have our rewards now -- we don't want to have to wait for them.  We certainly don't expect to suffer for anything!  The momentary trumps the long-term, so we give up long-term gains in order to achieve satisfaction now.
  But Christ shows us a better way.  He shows us how obedience now leads to greater rewards later.  Denying ourselves now can lead to a richer and more abundant life.  Obedience, rather than indulgence, is the wiser path, for it can draw us closer to God and help us see the fuller vision of Kingdom life.

Hebrews 5:1-4

Hebrews 5:1-4
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 A priest has the role of a servant.  It is not the priest's responsibility to invest concern in themselves, but rather to look to the people who come for help and take pity upon them, looking for ways to heal their wounds and orient them back to hope.  By no means is this an easy role, for it involves allowing the heart to be wounded for each soul that comes forward, for this is the only way to truly care for those in need.
  Christ was able to be the perfect high priest, for he has infinite love for each person that he cares for.  He does not grow weary of our weaknesses, nor does he tire of our complaints.  Christ loves us, even when we make the same mistakes all over again, and when we find the same frustrations and encounters with the same sins.  Christ loves us, and calls us back to faithfulness, offering us healing and forgiveness.
  May we endeavor to serve others as Christ serves us, loving deeply and caring faithfully for each person we encounter.  While we will never love to the same degree Christ loves, let us embark upon a journey to share what love we have with open hearts and open hands.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Hebrews 4:14-16
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 The threefold office of Jesus Christ is that he comes as Prophet, Priest and King.  He is the prophet because he delivers to us the message that God wants us to hear, which is the importance of repentance in the face of God's mercy, grace and love.  He is King because he rules over all, and he is Priest because he stands between us and God, bringing us into the presence of God and mediating the relationship.  He understands us, because he is fully human, and he understands God, because he is fully God.  Because Christ stands in the gap, we can go to him with confidence, because he understands what it is like to be human.  He does not treat us rudely, or look down on us because of our sin, but rather he looks upon us with compassion and love, helping us find the way to healing through the sacrifice he offers, the perfect sacrifice of his sinless life on the cross, and in doing so he creates a path through death into life.

Hebrews 4:8-13

Hebrews 4:8-13
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 The preacher here is emphasizing rest because of it's importance -- true rest can come only when we trust in God, and God's Word reveals what we might try to hide.  We can make it look like we're trusting God, but God knows our hearts, so pretending is useless -- let us confess our weaknesses, our sins and our faults, and take small steps, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to trust in God day by day.
  It can be scary to think that God knows our hearts, until we remember that the same God who comes as judge also comes as Savior.  God has not come searching for evidence that your faith is weak or misguided, but God has come to rescue you, to redeem you, to restore us back to true life in him.  God's agenda is not to punish those seeking to follow, but rather to save those who would receive his abundant life.

Hebrews 4:1-7

Hebrews 4:1-7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  We can certainly understand God's sense of frustration.  God was calling the people to live under his blessing of peace and abundance, but instead the people kept grasping for other solutions to their problems, other promises by lesser gods, things that could not deliver but perhaps seemed less intimidating, less distant, less challenging.  God showed the people his abundance time and time again, but the people could not seem to follow.
  We wonder at their foolishness, but at times, we live as fools as well.  We settle for material things, thinking they will make us happy.  We turn from the challenges of discipleship to look for easier paths to the promises only God can deliver.  We seek to create our own rest rather than enjoy God's rest.
  Only God can give what our hearts truly need.  Only his holiness is capable of defeating the demons that torment us.  When we understand this and stop settling for lesser solutions, we will take our steps toward the rest we can find in God alone.

Hebrews 3:12-19

Hebrews 3:12-19
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 I have a lot of questions for God.  I wonder about cancer and starvation and war and betrayal and dishonestly and greed and the compulsion to tell white lies and all sorts of evil that lurks in the heart, from jealousy to hatred to lust.  Brokenness surrounds us, and if we spend enough time fixated on it, it can be pretty easy to wonder about God and whether his promises are true or not.
  That's the importance of community.  When we gather together, we remember that pain and betrayal and brokenness is not the end of the story.  The cross does not get the last word -- Easter is coming, and life wins over death.  We know the end of the story, but we need to remind each other of that end, to lift one another's eyes to the hills so that we will catch a glimpse of the promised dawn.  There is a tremendous promise waiting for us, and if we focus on the pain around us, we might lose hope and give up our faithful march on the narrow road that leads to life, choosing instead an easier path that might promise less pain in the beginning, but ultimately leads away from life.
  So let us remind one another not to give up.  It not only encourages us to strengthen our faith, but it also calls us to go out into the world and engage with the hurt and the pain, so that we might strengthen one another in Christian love and point towards our ultimate hope, Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 3:7-11

Hebrews 3:7-11
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  I heard a great sermon the other day on God's rest.  In summary, God rested on the 7th day after he had created the heavens and the earth.  He rested because everything had been done.  When we are commanded to rest, we are placing our trust in God that everything has been done.  We don't have to complete God's work, and we don't have to figure out what God didn't do and make up for it.  Our rest is a sign of complete confidence in God that everything that needs to be finished has been accomplished, and there is nothing for us to add to God's work.
  So when the Israelites complained their way across the wilderness, they were proclaiming that God hadn't done enough.  When we grow anxious about God and our salvation, we are stating that what God has done in Jesus Christ might not be enough.  When we try and be perfect to make up for our faults, we are living as though Christ's sacrifice on the cross wasn't perfect enough, and we have to finish this work.
  What God has done is enough.  May we trust in God and rest in confidence.

Hebrews 3:1-6

Hebrews 3:1-6
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Think of inspiring people.  Often, they point beyond themselves, whether it is to a larger organization or to some character trait (such as perseverance) that we find desirable.  In their actions or words, we look beyond them and find inspiration to strive towards our own goals.
  Moses served in this role.  He lived a faithful life, and in doing so he pointed beyond himself to God, who deserved whatever honor people wanted to direct towards Moses.
  What often happens is that a little voice pops into our head and tells us that we deserve the honor for whatever action we have undertaken.  We start to believe that it's all about us, and we block the flow of the praise that should go through us and toward God.  We absorb it all, and we like the way it makes us feel.
  So let us keep ourselves focused on Christ.  In doing so, we direct whatever praise is given to us toward God, and hopefully people see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven.  May our lives be a conduit to Christ!

Hebrews 2:14-18

Hebrews 2:14-18
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Much has been made of Donald Trump's claim that his father gave him a 'small' loan of $1 million to start his career.  At the core of the outrage is the simple thought that Trump cannot understand us, is not like us, because he comes from a different background.
  For some time, humanity could make the same claim regarding God.  We could shout to the heavens that God just doesn't understand what it's like to be human, to walk this earth and be surrounded by humanity, trying to be faithful but struggling with temptation.
  But, thanks to Jesus Christ, we can no longer make this claim.  God knows what it is like to be human, and in Christ, God showed what a perfect human life looks like.  Due to his perfection, our imperfection is washed clean, and we can stand before God forever.  That is the picture of love, and we see it fully in Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 2:10-13

Hebrews 2:10-13
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  This concept amazes me... we are in the same family as Jesus.  This is all due to his great love, and the sacrifice he was willing to offer on the cross.  Without that, we would remain as we are -- sinful, broken, and distant from God.  Without Christ, there would be no hope, but with Christ, there is the free gift of being grafted into the family of God.  God looks at you as he looks at Christ... that is simply astounding to me, to be covered with such grace and mercy.  God's love is infinite and capable of complete transformation -- will you let it change you?

Hebrews 2:5-9

Hebrews 2:5-9
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  I love this section of Scripture.  The preacher in Hebrews is admitting that we don't see everything clearly, that we don't have all the answers, but what we do have is a firm and certain knowledge that Jesus Christ, God's own Son, died for everyone.  The same Lord who died for all is now crowned with glory and honor, and his desire is to invite others into that glory, to share his love and mercy with all who come to know him as Lord and Savior.
  We don't have all the knowledge in the world, but we know enough -- we are infinitely loved and served by the Creator God of the universe.  Rejoice!

Hebrews 2:1-4

Hebrews 2:1-4
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  2 We must give our full attention to what we were told, so that we won’t drift away. 2 The message spoken by angels proved to be true, and all who disobeyed or rejected it were punished as they deserved. 3 So if we refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord himself was the first to tell about it, and people who heard the message proved to us that it was true. 4 God himself showed that his message was true by working all kinds of powerful miracles and wonders. He also gave his Holy Spirit to anyone he chose to.

**********

  Think of your peripheral vision.  When you're moving forward, these are the things that appear to the side, often as distractions.  When you think of your primary goals in life, most other things get pushed to the periphery, for good or bad.  Some people are so driven by career goals that they push family and friends to the side.  Others are so focused on serving others they forget to care for themselves.  We all have things we're moving towards, by design or not, designated by how we spend our time and energy.
  The danger is that our spiritual life becomes something that gets pushed toward the periphery, often because we're just preoccupied with other things in life.  Our focus on God drifts towards something else, and pretty soon our relationship with Christ is one thing among many, dancing towards the side of our field of vision.
  So may we wisely choose, each morning, how best to focus ourselves, making it a priority to give full attention to God, so that our peripheral vision is filled with things that matter less, while the big things in life are kept before us.

Hebrews 1:5-14

Hebrews 1:5-14
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Hebrews is more of a sermon than a letter, and the point of the this section is to paint a difference between Jesus Christ and the angels.  Perhaps the argument was going around that Jesus was just another angel, no different than the rest, but the preacher here is emphasizing that Jesus is different.  Jesus is the Son of God, and he will rule forever.  The angels were created, but Jesus will sit on a throne eternally.
  Think about that for a second -- picture the majesty of Christ, sitting at the right hand of God, in the throne room adorned with the power and majesty that rightly belongs to God the Father.  This is the true identity of Jesus.
  And Christ sets all of that down, comes to earth and ascends the cross, dying like a common criminal because he loves you and wants to remove your punishment from sin, so that you may have life, and have it eternally and abundantly, worshiping God forever. That's how much Christ loves you.

Hebrews 1:1-4

Hebrews 1:1-4
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

 How's that for a brief history lesson?
  1)  God had people speaking the Gospel message for years.
  2)  When they didn't listen, God sent his own Son, the heir of the universe, to share the Gospel message.
  3)  God holds the entire universe together.
  4)  God's own Son washed away your sins just before sitting down at the right hand of God.

  This is who died for you -- God's own Son.  Let us worship him with thanks and praise!!!

Romans 16:17-27

Romans 16:17-27
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Some people just like to cause problems, to bring up debates, to stir up an argument.  We all know these type of people, and in the church we struggle to deal with them, because we think we're supposed to be nice to everyone.
  Well, being nice isn't the goal -- to be a loving community, we occasionally need to confront behaviors.  We do this lovingly, with utmost concern about maintaining the community and focusing on Christ at the center, rather than worrying about egos or proving someone right or wrong.  It's not about me or you -- it's about the sake of the community, and so we stand up to behaviors that tear down, and together we let the Holy Spirit lead us forward, into a more abundant future, following the narrow path of discipleship that asks much of us, but also gives far more in return.

Romans 16:1-16

Romans 16:1-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I think the thing to take away from this long list of greetings is that the church, to Paul, is a lot of individual relationships that are bound together by the love of Christ.  We aren't some nameless group that gathers in anonymity -- we know each other, and we are known, and we are responsible for each other.  You matter.  I matter.  Each and every one of us matters as an individual.
  Augustine tells us that God loves each of us as if there was only one to love.  You infinitely matter to God, and so we should focus on one another, loving individually, building relationships, and letting the church be a place where we are known, that we may be built up and sent out to proclaim the Gospel.

Romans 15:22-33

Romans 15:22-33
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  Plans.  We all make them.  Paul was planning on traveling to Spain, and on his way he was going to stop in Rome.  Romans is written as Paul's introductory letter -- he wanted to introduce his theology before he visited the church there.
  We don't know if Paul ever made it to Spain.  It's likely that his life concluded in Rome, but no one is sure.  What we know is that he sought to glorify God in all he did, always looking forward but more importantly, looking up to God and then looking around to the people around him.
  I make lots of plans.  You make them.  They're important -- without them, we'd be in trouble.
  But don't let your plans get in the way of enjoying God's gift of the present, and don't become so wedded to your plans you forget that our very lives dependent on the free gift of grace.  As we make our plans, may we remember to look up to God, and look around at the people God has placed around us, rather than getting caught up looking ahead in anticipation or backward in regret.

Romans 15:14-21

Romans 15:14-21
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Imagine living your life, as Paul chooses to live his, speaking of nothing other than what God has done for you.
  First of all, you'd have to have a very small ego, because you'd have to be willing to set aside the notion that it is you who is at the center of the meaning of life.  That's hard for me, to wrap my mind around the notion that I am not the most important thing.
  Before that, you'd have to have a full awareness of all that God has done for you.  You'd have to be amazed and awed that God freely chose to deliver you from sin and death and grant you life eternal, even though you were not worthy.
  This latter fact would drive the former, right?  An appropriate sense of awe for God and his mercy would motivate us to invest more time and energy in sharing the Good News of the Gospel.
  So may we focus on Christ and his saving work, and may we, in the process, be delivered from our self-centeredness, that our lives may be about Christ at work in us.

Romans 15:7-13

Romans 15:7-13
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Often in church, we focus on the vertical relationship between ourselves and God.  We want to be sure that we are seeking that relationship first, and we tend to ignore the other vital aspect of church, the horizontal relationship.
  Paul lifts it up as very important here -- we honor God in the way we serve, love and accept one another.  Christ came to serve, and so we also should serve, because in doing so we imitate Christ, and by imitating him we honor him and invite others to come to know him better.
  So let us continue to focus on the vertical aspect of Christianity, but may we not ignore the horizontal aspect that calls us into relationship with our neighbors.

Romans 15:1-6

Romans 15:1-6
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Paul's trying to bind together a community that is struggling with threats both internal and external.  He's encouraging them to bear with one another, even at times when we are trying each other's patience.  He's reminding us to hold on to hope, even in the face of insults and difficulties, for Christ enables us to persevere.  We do all things through Christ's strength, and when we lose sight of that, we strive to just make it on our own, without worrying about the community.
  However, when we focus on Christ, we forget our own anxieties, and this frees us up to serve and love our neighbors and our enemies.  When we love Christ more than ourselves, we aren't worried about whether we are good enough... we're worried whether others have come to know the amazing and life-changing love of God.

Romans 14:20-23

Romans 14:20-23
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

 It's interesting to think about Paul's exhortation to keep your beliefs about small things between you and God.  Imagine what would happen if we heeded these words and only allowed the larger things to lead us to speak out, keeping our beliefs and questions and arguments about small things between ourselves and God.
  I'm not sure exactly where the line is drawn, but it should give us pause when we speak out -- are we doing so to glorify God and bring others to Christ, or are we simply judging for the sake of creating an argument or making a point?
  Everything we do should be done in love, and it should be done for the purpose of pointing others towards the grace, love, mercy and purity of Christ.  May we think carefully on that before jumping in.

Romans 14:13-19

Romans 14:13-19
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

  Pride is a difficult thing to live with -- we get so focused on ourselves, on our own needs, wants and desires.  Often, pride leads us to defend our actions, and we're so focused on the implications for ourselves that we fail to see the way we are affecting people around us.  Pride clouds our ability to see the impact of our actions on others.
  In response, Paul is telling us to focus on others first, and then, once we are guided by love, to consider ourselves.  Put others first, he says, and we'll learn to live in peace, because we will weigh our words and actions and live in such a way that we cultivate an atmosphere of peace and harmony through our selflessness.

Romans 14:5-12

Romans 14:5-12
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Big picture thinking.  Paul is trying to lift our eyes from the petty things that sometimes occupy us, sapping our strength and our energy and our desires to move forward.  It's easy to get caught up in debates about small things.  It's much harder to recognize them for what they are and move past them, finding ways to honor God in our differences while seeking the bigger picture of what God is doing in our lives and in the world.  In the end, we come before God as we are, and we depend on him for redemption and rescue.  That matters.  May we live like it is the most important thing.

Romans 14:1-4

Romans 14:1-4
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  This is similar to the parable of the weeds and the wheat.  The most important thing is to form a body of believers around the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord.  Beyond that, we need to be careful about the passion with which we define that community, because we can become overzealous about particular issues that God may not be as passionate about.  Scripture is clear that we need to confess Christ as Savior, but we need to be gracious and patient, trusting that God is at work in each and every life, and the more grace we display the more likely each and all of us are to take another step down the path toward discipleship.

Romans 13:8-14

Romans 13:8-14
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Well, Paul puts it out there plainly -- all we have to do is love one another.
  Now if everyone else would just cooperate and make it easy for us to love them....
  Pure love, the love of Jesus Christ, is capable of loving even when the object of love is seemingly doing everything possible to avoid being lovable.  Humans were busy nailing Jesus to the cross, and he was forgiving them, loving them, serving them.  This is pure love.
  So when we go out into the world, we are to strive to love.  It is done in small acts as a conscious choice, moment by moment, person by person.  It takes a lifetime to live into this type of love, and we have to keep looking to Christ as our model, letting the Holy Spirit guide and direct our words and actions, so that we might follow his example.
  We have to give up the notion that we come first.  Let us love and serve with joy and gratitude today.

Romans 13:1-7

Romans 13:1-7
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's tough to figure out just how to live in society as a Christian.  Paul is trying to advise these new Christians on their role, and he avoids telling them to throw off the shackles of the Roman empire altogether.  They need to be responsible citizens, not seeking to overthrow Rome by resistance in a day, but rather starting a movement based on the selfless love of Christ that would overtake the world.
  I'd argue we're still a part of that movement, trying to figure out how to be responsible citizens while still living according to the love of Christ.  It isn't easy, and there are tough questions we have to wrestle with, but we are called to follow Christ while participating in society, helping reform it while being part of it.

Romans 12:14-21

Romans 12:14-21
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Have you ever tried to explain baseball to someone?  There are so many rules -- every time you think you have it mastered, you realize you forgot some little detail.  Football is the same way -- there are countless penalties, and even after watching it for years I see things I've never seen before.  Imagine trying to give guidelines to lead someone through every ethical dilemma they might face in their lives -- it would be impossible to capture it all.
  Paul is trying to guide the church in Rome to live faithfully, but he knows he can't capture everything.  So what he does instead is paint a big picture, one that describes the overall shape of the Christian life, and he trusts that if they are truly seeking to live as Christians, that they can figure the details out according to the big items.  Love one another.  Be kind to your enemies (it will frustrate them more than seeking retribution, Paul tells us).  Be humble.  Seek peace.
  Paul paints us a big picture, and we are called to fill in the details, trusting in God to lead us day by day.

Romans 12:9-13

Romans 12:9-13
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Think these commands could keep you busy for a while?  So often, we're focused on the negative aspects of what Scripture commands, and we forget about all the challenges the Bible offers up -- there are enough to keep us all busy for the rest of our lives.  Do you love all with affection?  Do you strive to outdo someone in showing honor?  Do you not rest in your zeal for honoring God, always looking for every possible opportunity to serve God?  Does your hope drive you to rejoice?  Do you give to those in need?
  It's a lot, and none of us get it completely right.  We all have room to grow, and yet we are each challenged to reach a little farther, to do a little more.  God calls us into a life of discipleship, and it's never easy, but we are to encourage one another to rise to the challenge and strive for the abundant life that serves and loves one another and, in so doing, honors God.

Romans 12:3-8

Romans 12:3-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Every now and again you hear of a team member demanding special treatment -- they've started to believe that they are the most important member of the team, and feel that they should be compensated as such.  They've started to think that they are owed something more due to their special talents.  It happens in the church, too.
  Here, Paul is telling us that we need to remember to be humble, for what we have we received from God, and we received it for a purpose -- not for our own glory, but for the use of God in building his church.  God loves us, but he doesn't single some of us out to be better than the rest.  Instead, each of us is a puzzle piece with different attributes that is meant to fit together in the building of the Kingdom.  We are unique and special and different, but that, in no way, entitles us to special treatment.  Let us serve with humility, grateful for the gifts we received.

Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1-2
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

  As they say, the problem with living sacrifices is that they keep crawling off the altar.
  These two verses are packed with meaning, and if you studied just these verses for a month, you would find no shortage of depth.  In summary, Paul is calling us to live in such a way where we are giving ourselves completely to God, pouring ourselves out for his greater glory, willing to give up all we are for the honor of God.  I don't know that we think like this very often -- it sounds challenging and costly, and we easily forget all that God has given us and only think about what it might cost us.
  Paul goes on, telling us that God should change the way we think.  If we are Christians, every thought should be captive to the will of God, so that we glorify him in all we do, honoring and praising him in public and private moments.  It's all about God.
  If we strive for this, we will find the life that truly is life, the abundant life that comes from God alone.

Romans 11:30-36

Romans 11:30-36
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Throughout Romans, Paul is expanding on a theme -- God's mercy is a free gift from above that we do not deserve, due to our sinful nature, but that Christ gives himself for us so that God might forgive us.  Paul emphasizes the separation between us and God, but then he reminds us how much God has done to close that God.  Paul is trying to remind us to be grateful for all that God has done, and to respond by living a life that pleases and honors God.  Paul doesn't want us to get caught up thinking we deserve this or that, but rather to live out of gratitude, focused on what God has done rather than ourselves.

Romans 11:25-29

Romans 11:25-29
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

 God doesn't take back.  God doesn't forget.
  When it comes to all the questions we have, let us trust God.  God is good.  Paul is reminding the Romans that God is wiser and more generous than we are.  We don't have the answers, but God will sort things out, and God will do so in a way that is kinder and gentler than the way we, in all our wisdom, would figure it out.
  The people in Rome had a lot of questions.
  We have a lot of questions.
  May we trust in God to sort things out for the best.

Romans 11:17-24

Romans 11:17-24
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  In the beginning, we're often grateful for something we receive, but after a while we start to view it as an entitlement, as though we did something to deserve it, because we've forgotten that it was a free gift.  We simply get used to the way things are and forget the way they were.
  Let us remember, then, with humility, that grace is a gift, given freely by God.  We did not earn it, and we are no better than others.  We have received the gift, but our job is not to reward ourselves for the way we have been given it -- rather, we are charged to go and tell the good news about how God saves, about how God gives grace regardless of merit, about how God has reached out, reached down to us.  God loves freely and unconditionally, and we were not worthy, but have been saved by the love and mercy of God.

Romans 11:11-16

Romans 11:11-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

  In our ordinary thinking, we get accustomed to the idea that only one can succeed.  For someone to win a race, someone else has to lose.  For me to be successful, there is another that must fail.  There is room for only one at the top, right?
  Here, Paul is telling us that Israel stumbled so that the Gentiles can be welcomed into the riches of God.  Their failure to grasp the full riches and wonder of God opened a door so that others could be welcomed into the Kingdom.
  But Paul twists things a bit...  Paul tells us while it is good that the Gentiles have been welcomed in, but it will be even better if the Jews are welcomed into the Kingdom as well.  There is plenty of room for all!  All are welcome into the Kingdom, and it will be even more joyful if all receive the grace of God!
  Let us not shrink our minds and think that the Kingdom and grace are small things for a few --- may we rather rejoice in the abundance of God and give thanks that all are welcome at the banquet table of God!

Romans 11:7-10

Romans 11:7-10
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I'll freely admit it -- I don't understand this.  I don't understand why God would give anyone eyes not to see grace, ears not to hear the Gospel.  It doesn't make sense.
  I understand how some people would trip up on the stumbling blocks, unwilling to accept the fact that they cannot earn the grace of God, unable to shift their minds to the point that God's grace is unattainable except as a gift, unreachable no matter how much merit they may believe themselves to have.  That makes sense, because I understand pride well.
  But I can't quite understand why God would make anyone unable or unwilling to hear the Gospel.  It's the same reason I struggle to understand why God hardened Pharaoh's heart -- I understand the greater message, but wrestle with the implications for that particular individual.
  I don't understand the Gospel, but I trust the God who stands behind it, and so I approach the Gospel with humility, hoping to one day see this clearly.

Romans 11:1-6

Romans 11:1-6
English Standard Version (ESV)

  By grace, Paul reminds us, by grace.
  Let it be a continual reminder to us all, that God works by grace.  You have been chosen and blessed by God not because of what you have done or what you will do, but because God is loving and kind and willing to pour out his mercy.  You are loved unconditionally, and nothing in your life, good or evil, will prevent God from loving you.
  So whatever questions we have for God, let us never doubt his love or his grace.  I have plenty of things I do not understand, but although I do not see clearly how God is at work, I do not doubt that his actions are rooted in his grace and love.

Romans 10:14-21

Romans 10:14-21
Common English Bible (CEB)

  How do people hear about the Gospel?
  God uses us.  Ordinary people like you and I are the tools by which God spreads the Gospel throughout the land, using our voices, powered by the Holy Spirit, using our hands, guided by his grace.  God uses our lives to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, so that others may come to know that Christ the Lord is King and Savior.
  We are his to use.  Let us live our lives faithfully, that God may use us to proclaim his Gospel.

Romans 10:5-13

Romans 10:5-13
Common English Bible (CEB)

  It's easy to divide ourselves up -- we place people we like in one category, then people like us are pretty close to that, and down the ranks we go.  We do this inside the church and outside the church, classifying people and dividing them up into neat and tidy categories.
  In Christ, though, there is no distinction, no difference, no separation.  We are all equal.  We are equally doomed because of sin, and equally saved by grace through faith.  We profess our desperate need for salvation from Christ, and we are liberated from sin into one big category, the saved.  What we do on this earth cannot change the fact that we belong to this one group, those saved by the mercy of God.
  So let us not dare to look down on anyone.  We were saved by a gift from God - let us live with proper humility.

A Prayer for Friday

Lord,
  As I fill my day,
  May I recognize the most important things.
  May I place you first, basing everything else around my relationship with you.
  That your love may lead me
  That your Spirit may fill me
  That your grace may uphold me
  That your wisdom may guide my thoughts, my words, my heart.
  May I be led deeper into life.
  Trusting you every step of the way.

Amen

Romans 10:1-4

Romans 10:1-4
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Ignorance is tough.  We see it easily in the world around us, lamenting the ignorance of individuals or crowds or groups.  It's easy to find and demean.
  It's pretty tough to notice in ourselves.  We cling to the view that we're too smart to fall for such traps, that we would never do such a thing... but remember, everyone we're labeling as ignorant is often thinking the same thing about themselves.
  Following Christ requires a great deal of humility.  We have to be willing to see ourselves as broken, as fallen, as sinful.  Only when we see ourselves this way do we begin to recognize how deeply we need a Savior and how grateful we should be to have Christ love us the way he loves.

A Prayer for Thursday, Sept 17

Holy God,
  This day, grant me the strength to stand up straight, that I might live out the convictions I so eagerly pronounce on Sunday mornings.  Give me the courage to remember what it is this life is meant to be about, so that I might walk a faithful walk with you.  May I not slink into old habits and simply continue giving you Sunday alone, but may I strive to serve you in all I do this moment, this day, forever.

Amen

Romans 9:30-33

Romans 9:30-33
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's so immensely complicated and yet so straightforward for us to attain righteousness.
  We want to earn it -- it's in our DNA, and we are wired to achieve, to earn, to make for ourselves.  We figure it we can just try hard enough, we can make it.
  But God has to give it.  We cannot overcome the effects of sin on our own - it requires a Savior who can pay the price, and only a Savior who has lived a perfect life can do so.  Christ is the atonement for our sin, offering us peace with God, giving us his righteousness, so that we might live in peace with God.
  It's a gift from God for us to receive, not earn.  May we do so with open hands and grateful hearts.

A Prayer for Wed, Sept 16

Good morning, Lord,
  A blank slate lies before me.  Each previous day, you have colored with astounding wonder, beauty unimaginable, and grace that unfolds anew.  I have noticed some of it, often paying far more attention to the mess humans are making of your creation through our broken hearts and broken relationships.  As the sun peaks over the horizon, you color the world anew, and there is much to be grateful for.  You have given life once more.
  May I be amazed at your wonder today, O Lord, and may I give thanks for your love and for this life.

Amen

Romans 9:19-29

Romans 9:19-29
English Standard Version (ESV)

  God is mercy and love.
  To believe otherwise is to convince ourselves that we are better than we are.  It's not a hard thing to do, especially when we can look around and find plenty of evidence that we aren't actually terrible people and are quite capable of committing good deeds every now and again, but the problem we have is that we then weave a story using our occasional good deeds as evidence that we are actually completely good and worthy of God's love.
  In fact, the only reason we are worthy of God's love is because we have a Savior who died on a cross for us so that we might be free from sin.  Because God freely chose to do this, we can have hope and abundant life.  God did not have to do this, but chose to, because God is mercy and love.
  So let us cling to God's love and give thanks for his mercy, for while we deserved neither, we receive both in Jesus Christ.

A Prayer for Tuesday, Sept 15

Gracious God,
  You alone are majestic, wondrous and awesome.  You have written the stars into the sky and spoken the world into being.  In your infinite wisdom, you have designed us in your image and granted your Holy Spirit to lead us.
  Forgive us, Lord, when our vision falls short and our desires falter, leading us into a cesspool of human sin.  When reach for short-term glory, forgetting the promises you have made and the strength of your hand.  You are good, Lord, and promise to lead us to green pastures.  Help us to see the fallacy of sin's promises and to stay the path that leads to abundance and life in you.

Amen

Romans 9:14-18

Romans 9:14-18
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I have a lot of thoughts on how this country should be run.  My wife hears most of these, but beyond that, I keep them mostly to myself, since I haven't earned the right to be President and then be in a place where espousing my views on the country's direction can have much effect.  Perhaps, when I earn the right to be in influential places, I'll share my ideas on what can make this place run better.
  In the same vein, I try not to tell God what to do very often.  God is infinitely wise and merciful and kind and gracious.  I, on the other hand, am sinful and broken and tend to mess most things up.  Since God created the universe, I think it's best run by him.
  Paul is reminding us who is in charge.  We are all sinful and have fallen short of the glory of God, thus none of us have earned the right to tell God how to run things.  We should approach God with humility, trusting in his grace and mercy, aware that God hears our prayers and petitions, but understanding that God's wisdom is greater than our own.

A Prayer for Monday, Sept 14

Holy God,
  On this day, grant me the strength not to look within for the courage to go forward.
  Instead, may I trust that your grace is sufficient, that your strength is greater than anything I can summon, and that your hands hold life eternal, and the scope of your Kingdom is greater than I can imagine.
  May I not be so narrow-minded as to assume that what I can see is all there is, and may my heart be so generous as to live with the idea that infinite riches and abundance rest in you alone.

Amen

Romans 9:6-13

Romans 9:6-13
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Things are often different than we think they are.  Sometimes, we look at people and think they have it all together, when in fact they may be struggling on the inside.  Sometimes, people whose lives seem like they are hanging together by a thread are content, due to some inner strength that is unseen by most.
  God's Kingdom does not always work like we assume it must.  My favorite musical piece is called O Magnum Mysterium, The Great Mystery.  God works in wonderful ways, beyond human comprehension.  His grace is greater than we can imagine, and his mercy astounds.
  But let us not presume to be certain about who is to be saved and who is not.  Just because someone once darkened the door of a church or was included in a community doesn't necessarily mean they are in the Kingdom, and those who we think are far from it may, for all we know, be within.
  Let us live with great humility, grateful for the grace of God and inviting all to draw nearer to God, that we may discover and live within the covenant of grace.

A Prayer for Friday, Sept 11

Holy God,
  Today, I look back and remember the terror of 14 years ago, the fear of watching such violence unfold, the stark memories of lives being lost.  The television would not stop replaying the terrible images, and they were seared in the mind.  Such chaos.  Such pain.  Such loss.
  Lord, those scars remain forever, deep on the hearts of those who are affected.  You know the reality of brutal pain and senseless violence - you suffered under such violence.  Your scars remain, but they are healed.
  Lord, I pray for healing.  I pray for people whose scars still smart from the wounds.  I pray for lives that have unraveled due to violence and suffering.  I pray for countries that are still trying to grasp how to respond to violence, and I pray for your peace to descend and dwell with us all.  Guide us, Lord, to live as your people, focused on your Kingdom, sharing your love.

Amen

Romans 9:1-5

Romans 9:1-5
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's so tempting to turn away from the chaos in the world.  We certainly know there's enough of it - it's all over the news, each and every day, pouring in from every part of the world.  We all have enough on our plate, right?
  But Paul has a heart for those far from God.  Great sorrow and unceasing anguish, we hear, for those who do not know Christ.  He's willing to sacrifice himself for their sake.  He's willing to give up his comfort, peace and contentment for them.  He was just talking about how amazing the love of God is, about how incredible it is to be wrapped in the arms of God so that nothing can separate us, and he's now offering to give that up so that others can know Christ.
  When we think of the people around us, do we have that kind of compassion?  Are we committed to sharing the Gospel at whatever cost to ourselves?  Or do we balk at the price?

A Prayer for Thursday, Sept. 10

Gracious God,
  You are love.  From the beginning you have always promised to love, and that love echoes from generation from generation, from horizon to horizon, and your love reigns.
  At times, though, it is difficult to understand how your love is at work.  Seeds of chaos, planted long ago by sinful hearts, seem to be blossoming each day anew.  I wonder how you are at work in the crises that span the globe, and the heartache in each small child makes me wonder how to make sense of it all.  I know and believe that your Holy Spirit is at work, but I struggle to clearly grasp that.
  Help me to trust in you and your presence and your love, and grant me the wisdom to serve you by serving others, that I may actively live out my discipleship and not simply wait during my life.

Amen

Romans 8:31-39

Romans 8:31-39
English Standard Version (ESV)

  This is one of the most meaningful sections of the Bible to any of us who have sometimes wondered about God's presence in our lives.  At times, it is easy to wonder if God is near.  At times, it is easy to fixate on the surrounding darkness and forget about the power of the light.  At times, hope seems to slip through fingers like sand on the beach.
  But Paul puts forward here a powerful reminder of the love and power of God.  Indeed, if God is on our side, who can meaningfully oppose us?  Can any force in the universe oppose the God who made the universe?  Can death, which failed to hold Christ Jesus, pretend to defeat God?
  And this God is the God who gave himself up for us, who died on the cross so that we might have forgiveness.  This God has promised to never let us go, to never abandon or forsake us.  This God will be with us forever, and his presence and power should bring us peace, that we may live with confidence, trusting that the power of God is fully on our side.

A Prayer for Wednesday, September 9

Holy God,
  Here, in the hectic moments of life, you reign.
  In the quiet darkness of night, in the glorious spectacle of a mountaintop vista, in the chaos of the hurricane, still you reign.  You shine your light and you bring life and order into the world, although we often fail to recognize it.  You pour out your goodness, even though we neglect your call.  You are joy and peace and hope, and we still choose darkness, inexplicably.
  Forgive us, O Lord, and help us to see anew with new hearts, that we may understand and live out our call to love one another.

Amen

Romans 8:26-30

Romans 8:26-30
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There is so much depth here -- the Gospel is like a well that never runs dry, and whenever you think you have solved its depths, it reveals yet more to the searching heart.
  Here, we are reminded that we need not know the answer's to life's deepest longings.  When we come to the chapters in our lives that seem unsolvable, when we stumble and can't seem to find the way back to the light, when we fall and can scarcely even think about getting up due to the pain we are in, when our heart's ache because of the brokenness in the world, we discover that God is already there, at work healing, binding up our broken hearts and broken lives, praying for us when we can't even think to orient ourselves towards God.
  God loves us, and he proves it by showing up at the hardest, most difficult points of our lives and leading us through them into everlasting joy.  Our scars and memories may remain, but one day all pain will be banished from our lives, and we shall dwell in life everlasting.

A Prayer for Tuesday, Sept 8

Holy God,
  Keep me focused on you.
  Today I will go into the world with an idea of what might occur.  Undoubtedly, I will become distracted and stop focusing on you at some point.  I will get rushed, and I will fail to notice you at work.  I will hurry by one of your beloved children in obvious need.  I will be centered on myself, and my attention will only be caught up in my own problems.
  Expand my imagination, Lord, so that I might see you at work in all situations.  Help me see, and keep me focused, that I may serve you at all times, in every way.

Amen

Romans 8:18-25

Romans 8:18-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Take the long view.
  So often in life, we are tempted to focus on the short-term.  We can exchange our long-term hard work for short-term pleasure.  We give up on long-term focused diets for short-term indulgences.  We sacrifice long-term integrity for short-term satisfaction.
  For the early church, the strong temptation was to give up on faithfulness to Christ that might cost them their life.  But this was choosing short-term ease over long-term flourishing that we receive in the Kingdom of God.  In the short-term, life may be harder by choosing Christ.  In the long-term, the rewards infinitely outweigh the costs.
  So let us focus on the long-term and shoulder the cost of discipleship, grateful for a God who promises rewards that far outweigh the costs.

A Prayer for Friday, Sept 4

Holy God,
  You are mighty, majestic and powerful.  You are perfect in every way, and your wisdom exceeds the universe.  You are kind and loving, yet you are certain and fierce.  You have passion for your creation, and you have no tolerance for sin, yet you still manage to love us, your children, despite our sinful nature.
  You are wondrous, O God, and I bow before your throne, amazed at your love and certain of your power.  May your grace cover me, and may this life bring you honor.

Amen

Romans 8:12-17

Romans 8:12-17
English Standard Version (ESV)

  These words are just beautiful.  Over and over again, Paul is pounding into our heads the truth of the Gospel message - that in Christ Jesus, we are freed from the bondage of sin and raised to new life, caught up in the Spirit's work so that we may delight in the newness of our identity, redeemed from death.
  Paul is encouraging us to live as a people transformed, to allow our excitement for new life to change how we treat one another.  We live in the Spirit as a people led by God to serve neighbor and enemy.  No longer fearing death, we can be empowered to go forth into the world and tell the story of grace, of love and of mercy.  We spread the Good News, person by person, and invite the world to hear the marvelous Gospel message.

A Prayer for Thursday, Sept 3

Holy Father,
  You know me completely.
  You know when I rise, and you know when I slumber.
  You know my full past, and you know the deepest longings and fears of my heart.
  You know what I'm thinking, and before the words escape my mouth, you already know them.
  Your knowledge is complete, and so is your love.
  You love me just the same, though I have promised much and failed more.  Your compassion and kindness extend throughout the ages, and I come back with a heart filled with penance, and I find grace.
  Thank you, for your matchless love and unthinkable forgiveness.  May I praise your name forever.

Amen

Romans 8:9-11

Romans 8:9-11
English Standard Version (ESV)

 We often tend to think of spirituality as two extremes that cannot exist at once -- we think of ourselves as saved and cured of sin, or in a state of perpetual sin where God would want nothing to do with us.  If you're like me, you've spent most of your time and energy seeking out evidence that the latter is true (if you're like me, it doesn't take much searching...).
  But the reality is vastly different.  Sin still dwells in us, and our flesh is prey to it, but through the power and life of Christ, we are simultaneously raised to new life, clutched from the talons of death and destined for eternity with Christ.  Our sinful nature does not determine our future.
  But sin still hangs around.  So give yourself some grace -- all is not completely healed, but all is not lost because we are not perfect.  Christ comes to us as we are, and while his grace transforms us, we are still living in the midst of a process that is working itself out.  The final victory has not yet been won, and so we wait with anxious anticipation about what Christ will do, but we do so in confidence that Christ has already acted in and for us.

Romans 8:1-8

Romans 8:1-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Here we are, standing in the courtroom, convicted of our sin by the weight of the evidence that surrounds us.  We believe that it has come to define us, and as the judge prepares to read the sentence, we prepare for the inevitable, knowing that we will be guilty, for there is too much proof of our sin to do anything else.  Our attempts at faithfulness are outweighed by sin, and there is no way we can, based on our own merit, approach the throne of grace.
  And then we hear the most beautiful words of all -- there is no condemnation because we are in Christ!  We are set free, declared innocent due to the blood of the lamb!  God has done what we could not-- sending his Son to set us free and pay the price for sin so that we might live in light and love.
  Therefore, in light of this wondrous truth, let us live with our minds set on Christ, so that all of life might be a reflection on the wondrous things that God has done for us!

A Prayer for Wednesday, Sept 2

Almighty God,
  Your greatness stretches across the heavens, from one horizon to the next, and I am amazed at the universe you have created.  Stars hang in the heavens while the planets circle the sun, all of it orchestrated by your brilliance.  Comets race through space while forces unseen somehow keep it all together, and in the midst of this massive universe, here we are, small and insignificant, yet precious to you.  May I remember my place in this great existence, and may I also remember how great your love and wisdom are, that you can create such works and yet still pour out your love on lowly creations, specks in the universe, redeemed by your great love and sacrifice.

Amen

A Prayer for Tuesday, Sept 1

Holy, awesome and gracious God,
  Your mighty hand reaches down to save.
  This is the same hand that moved across the water and crafted the earth.  It's the same hand that divided the sea so that the Israelites could pass through.  The same hand redeemed David and steered the minds of the prophets.  Your love has echoed throughout the generations, singing a song that our hearts know well but our minds forget as we become distracted by so many of the world's cares.
  Forgive us, Lord, when we live as though you are a distant and cold reality.  Repair our wounds, and guide our way to life everlasting, that we may rejoice in you, O God our Savior.

Amen

Romans 7:21-25

Romans 7:21-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

  No matter how much delight we may take in God's law and in serving God, our sin is ever near, drawing us away from living in the splendor, grace and majesty of God.  Without God's unconditional love, our story would end at verse 24, lamenting our fate as determined by our sinful nature, with little hope of attaining the state of grace that is marked by the purity and love of God.
  Thanks be to God indeed!  Through Jesus Christ, we who were marked as dead have been fated for life through faith.  Because of grace, we serve Christ as redeemed, rescued, repaired.  We have been saved, and we no longer look at sin as our future, but rather as a doomed enemy that cannot win the day.

A Prayer for Monday, August 31

Holy God,

 You have led me through so many valleys, across so many mountaintops.  Through it all, you have stayed by my side, constantly calling me into the deeper waters of discipleship.  Your love has never failed, and you abide with me in each and every moment of my life.
  In this busy time, lead me beside still waters, that I may carve out my anxiety and rest in you, trusting that if I abide in you, all will be well.  May I trust you with all that I am, and all that will be, and in so doing stop trying to hold it all together myself.  In you, I live and move and have my being, and may my words and heart be focused on you.

Amen

Romans 7:13-20

Romans 7:13-20
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I can't tell you how many times I walk through the kitchen, not hungry at all, and grab something to eat.  It happens all the time.  I'm not alone on this, right?  I don't need to eat... I just have some ingrained habit that leads me into the kitchen and teaches me to eat things.  It's frustrating.
  This is how sin works in us.  It's part of who we are.  It's not even something we consciously think about - we just sin because we are sinful.  I've promised God I'll stop countless times, but the sin within me overpowers my will and leads me back into sin.  I'm not willfully disobedient... I'm just sinful.
  The good news is that this isn't the end of the story.  Jesus Christ has the last word on our fate, and it is for life!  Rejoice, fellow sinner, in the hope we have through the pain of the cross and the joy of the empty tomb!

A Prayer for Friday, August 28

Holy Lord,
  May all that is within me glorify your holy name.
  You, above all else, are perfect and worthy and powerful and mighty.
  I can be weak and fall prey to so many things.
  May I curl up in your arms, as a small child does with its mother, and trust in your hand and your strength.
  May your strong power save me, Lord, from all that threatens me harm.
  May your light overwhelm the darkness, and may hope radiate from the heavens, that all may see your goodness and glory and give praise to your name.

Amen

Romans 7:7-12

Romans 7:7-12
English Standard Version (ESV) 

  Think about going to the doctor.  You go when you don't feel right, although you're often not sure exactly what is wrong.  Once there, the doctor offers a diagnosis and then will point you toward a cure, often utilizing medicine to help nurse you back to health.  The downside is that every time you get sick, you have to go back to the doctor, and each cure is only good for that particular illness.
  The law serves a similar function.  We know that all is not right with the world, with ourselves, with our relationships.  When we slow down enough to recognize this, we go to the law and find healing for that particular ailment.  The law can offer that, but it cannot cure the root cause of our sinfulness, just as a doctor cannot prevent us from getting sick again in the future.  It can only fix one problem at a time.  In this way, the law is a gift, because it tells us how to live and helps us order ourselves so that we are living properly, but the root problem is still present.
  In Jesus Christ we have more than just a problem-solver.  We have a Savior, and he has come to solve the root problem, to offer grace that does more than just cure a small ailment.  In Christ, we have atonement for sin, life in place of death, mercy in place of judgment.  He fulfills the law, offering the perfect sacrifice that is required for our sin so that the judgment that we deserve falls upon him.
  The law cannot save us.  It helps, but cannot save.  Only Christ can save.
 

A Prayer for Wednesday, August 26

Bless the Lord, O my soul.
  Let all that is within me, bless God's holy name.

May the rising breath and beating heart within
  Join in a chorus that praises God's name

May my thoughts and my words, my deeds and interactions
  Be an offering that brings glory to God

May I direct my path so that I am actively pursuing worship
May I follow God with purpose and conviction
May I trust that the old is gone, the new life has begun
May I find love and grace, and realize what a free gift it is

May my soul bless the Lord

Amen

Romans 7:1-6

Romans 7:1-6
English Standard Version (ESV)

  7 Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? 2 For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. 3 Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress.
  4 Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. 5 For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. 6 But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.

**************

  Rachel and I spent a long weekend in Fresno, and while there we took a short trip to Yosemite.  We spent a day there hiking, and it was magnificent and beautiful and grand.  We felt so small there amidst the vast scale of nature's wonder.  While I have tried countless times, Yosemite simply can't be summed up in a photograph.  Looking at a picture isn't the same as going there in person.
  In the same way, being in Christ isn't just about reading a book and trying to be a better person.  It's not about small efforts we make to try and make ourselves presentable to Christ.  Being in Christ is about a whole-life transformation that involves our dying to sin and rising to new life in Christ.  It's not a small achievement that can be picked up and set down anytime.  It's a massive life shift, and when we discover true life in Christ, we are never the same, forever wrapped in the loving embrace of God.

A Prayer for Thursday, August 20

Lord of life,
  To you, all things belong.  My life and my future, as well as my past.  You have created me, and so all I am, body and soul, belongs to you.
  Thank you for being such a gracious God.  Thank you for being trustworthy, for being reliable.  I have committed myself to so many foolish causes over the years, and yet still you remain, faithful, forgiving, kind and loving.  I am not worthy of such love, but you give it freely.
  Thank you, Lord, and may I live in gratitude, in constant awareness of your loving presence, and in constant search of ways that I can share the incredible love that I have received.

Amen

Romans 6:20-23

Romans 6:20-23
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Notice the huge difference here between sin and God.  For sin, we earn the wages of death.  In summary, we toil under sin's heavy burden, spending a lifetime beneath its merciless whip and tasting its rebuke at every opportunity, recognizing the mirages of promise only in time for them to turn to dust in our throats.  To pledge one's labor to such a cause leads down a path of destruction.
  With God, however, there is eternal life, and it is a free gift.  We do not toil to earn it, but rather we receive it with open hands and open hearts, taking the free gift from a God eager to give.  We could not toil long enough to earn it, but we do not have to, because the God of grace is eager to give away this gift to all who turn to him.
  Seeing this contrast, which master will you choose to serve?  Who offers the better reward, and how can you lead your heart towards Christ today?