Mission Faithwalk

                 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) Wednesday night at a prayer meeting, someone shared a concern about our kids. I’ve read Jonathan Haidt’s books describing how fear and anxiety plague our youth, but this time, it was about “our” children and how timid they are. Part of it is because of social media, schools, and the press. But another big part of it is our fault. We have spoken with social media, schools, and the press. We have spoken fear, not faith, and conformation, not courage. These have been spoken to us and over us for decades. Maybe you’re not the same, but I have spoken fear over my life for a long time. I can’t say I’m a conformer, but I have been a coward. Today’s passage follows the Shema that Jesus quoted as part...

                 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9) Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast . (Psalm 139:7-10) The Hound of Heaven (by Francis Thompson) As Christians, we’re supposed to seek God’s presence and to rejoice that He is with us wherever we go. Promises like the one in Joshua are supposed to be comforting or thrilling. And at least part of the time, they are. This morning, these passages brought to mind a different feeling, and a long poem by Francis Thompson. Don’t worry, it’s not as long as Paradise Lo...

            “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ” (Isaiah 55:8-9) I wish this passage had shown up before I thought to meditate on Matthew 5:48 yesterday, because it points out one of the things I mentioned. God is far above us: greater, superior, and beyond us. There is no comparison. Even if we were the type of perfection that is without flaws (as discussed yesterday), the comparison would still not exist. Perfection, whether flawless or useful, would not bring us any closer to God, unless, perhaps, our perfection included perfect humility. I suspect that I – and maybe a few others – tend to think God sees us as nightcrawlers that disappoint Him because we can’t fly, or even step dance. But God knows we are people, so it would be unreasonable for Him to expect us to emulate...

                 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect . (Matthew 5:48) Has this command ever bothered you? Be perfect? Be as perfect as God? Jesus gave us an impossible task. Of course, some would claim that our heavenly Father isn’t perfect because He doesn’t do everything precisely as they think He should. That may be one thing we should keep in mind. Our being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect doesn’t mean that we’ll be perfect from everyone’s point of view. In fact, we need to be careful, because our own ideas of perfection may not be perfect. According to one resource, the Greek word used is teleios , which “conveys a sense of maturity, completeness, or attaining a goal.” ( What does it mean to be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)? | GotQuestions.org ) I’ve heard it described that a well-made screwdriver is a perfect screwdriver because it drives screws effectively,...

                   Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25-26)                 There’s an old ad. I don’t remember what it’s about, but an animated figure throws a world class, melodramatic hissy fit about something. I wish I could remember it to share it because that’s what comes to mind here. Please don’t be offended. I’m quite sure Asaph was in circumstances that justified such a cry. And I’m sure I’ve whined or otherwise expressed sentiments to God or about God that probably sounded over the top. Chances are fair that you’ve done the same. Or perhaps you’ve expressed some sentiment about someone or something else that sounds equally overboard. And looking at it from the outside or back through time, it might seem a...

                   Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels.   And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful.   Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth,   and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (II Timothy 1:23-26) This is one of those passages that can easily be misquoted. People may go as far as “not resentful” and stop. This leads to a false impression of what the Lord’s servant is to be like. Don’t ever say anything that might be considered quarrelsome or unkind, and don’t ever be resentful, period. In other words, the Lord’s servant has to keep his/her big mouth shut at all times. Never mind that Jesus didn’t do this If ...