Friday, March 29, 2024

John 19:28-30

John 19:28-30 

  Most of us leave places when it's made clear that we're not welcome.  Have you ever been at someone's house past dinner and you've suddenly noticed they are becoming less and less subtle that it's time to go?  Or maybe you were at a restaurant and you looked up and noticed they were stacking chairs on tables.  It might be easy to miss the signs at first, but once they become clear, we usually head out.
  Jesus stayed.
  How hard it must have been.  He didn't have to hang there on that cross.  He could have left.  He could have noted that it was clear he was unwelcome and left us behind.  Humanity rejected him, but such was his love, such was his heartbreak, that he stayed.  He stayed because he knew we didn't fully realize the treasure we were giving up.  He stayed because he knew how broken we were, how powerful sin is, and so he stayed, because his beloved children were held under death's power, and he was unwilling to give us up.
  And so he stayed until the end, until it was finished, because there was work to be done, and he was unwilling to lose a single lost sheep.
  Thanks be to God.

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Luke 22:7-13

Luke 22:7-13 

  We could forgive Jesus for being distracted on this day, the last day of his freedom before his arrest, but he was focused on spending Passover with the disciples.  He was focused on us.  It astounds me the depth of Jesus' love -- knowing the greatest trial of his life would soon be upon him, where he would be wrongfully convicted, tortured, and painfully killed, he thought of the disciples and how he could continue to teach them, strengthen them, love them.  His entire life was about others, to the end, and through the end.  
  How do we model this?  As the church, we're called to follow Jesus out into the world.  I'm often so wrapped up in various things that I'm going through, and I easily forget the needs of others around me.  How do we pray to have a heart like Jesus, who is always building community, no matter the stage of his life, no matter the crisis that may be unfolding within.  His heart is outside focused, and his life, as a result, draws others in.

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

James 4:1-5

James 4:1-5

  Augustine talks about our problem being primarily one of disordered loves.  We love the wrong things too much, and the right things too little.  The biggest sin we likely need to repent of is loving God too little.  We choose the world instead, because it's here and it's pressing in on us from all directions, and the pressure is unbearable.  We grow up surrounded by it, and it's what we know best, so we chase it.
  May we yearn for God with all we have.  Jesus calls us friend... may we pursue him like a friend, like a lover, like a soulmate, for it is he who made our souls, and we are made for him.  When we ask, may we start with asking for God to help us love God more -- it is the most worthy effort we can ever make.

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

James 3:13-18

James 3:13-18 

  Remember all those signs that tell you how everything you ever needed to know you learned in kindergarten?  This is somewhat similar -- it's telling us what wise and faithful behavior looks like.  We learn it here in Scripture, but we often forget it when we go into the world.  We get defensive and upset, often because we're afraid our self-image is being threatened or tarnished.  Scripture tells us to let go of our self-image and to let God define us.  Then we're not worried about defending ourself or protecting our reputation.  Then we let go of being jealous and selfishly ambitious.  When we're not worried about where we rank among others, then we don't get as angry.  We work for peace.  
  Sometimes, I think we have to get angry to pursue peace.  There are people in the world who will take advantage of others, particularly children, and when we see that happening, we should be angry, and to work for peace may mean we don't do peaceful things.  I don't know when and where to draw those lines, but I do know that Jesus got upset when he saw unrighteousness.  When we do get angry, we should test our anger, to ensure it's really about unrighteousness and we aren't somehow tied up in it.  It's a hard thing to do, but necessary -- it's part of pouring ourself out so that Christ can fill us.