Mission Faithwalk

              Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me.   When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:1-4)            Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, [ a ]  whenever you face trials of many kinds,   because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.   Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.   If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.   But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:2-6)           If you read the rest of the psalm, you’ll find that it follows this pattern: the verse

               Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered.   “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.” “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:21-24)   This is the passage that comes to mind this morning as I mentally stumble around trying to get my mind and body in gear this morning. I have sometimes joked that my grumbling is my engine trying to catch. This morning, it wasn’t so much grumbling as bumbling. I started out thinking some good thoughts: “You and You alone are God.” “You and You alone are Lord.”                 “ You and You alone are Father…” and that’s where things shifted a little, because as my Father, it is His responsibility to care for me. And He does care for me. I believe that…           But I d

            Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn . (Romans 12:15) This is another of those difficult things we’re called to do. When the going gets rough for us, we’re supposed to rejoice with those who rejoice, and mourn with those who mourn? We’re just trying to make it through the day, and now we’re supposed to drop everything and get all emotional about someone else’s problems or successes? That selfish part of ourselves rears up its ugly head and says, “Where are they when I want to rejoice, or when I feel the need to mourn? Why don’t they see how much I need? Why do I always have to be strong for everyone?” And the truth is, that the ugly, selfish part of us is precisely the voice we need to listen to – for just long enough to match the feeling to the need. Once we do that, we should recognize that what we’re feeling is what the one who is rejoicing or mourning feels. What we need is what they need. What we want is what they want. And if we can turn fro

           H owever, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:24) Jesus replied:  “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.     And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”   All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments . (Matthew 22:37-39) Paul had a singular focus. Some might have said that he had tunnel vision. There was one thing, and one thing alone that mattered to him. On the road to Damascus, Jesus had given him a job to do, and nothing else mattered. Everything revolved around that one thing. I’ve known some people obsessed in that way. Nothing else matters but their team, their show, their family, their career. According to the second passage above, we should all be similarly dominated by what is ult

             For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:17) Today’s passage takes me back to yesterday’s passage. If anyone in or out of the universe has a right to be angry, it’s God. Yes, He knew that if He created all that we perceive as being reality, we would rebel against Him, but that doesn’t change the fact that we did. It also doesn’t change the fact that if we were in His place, as we so often try to be, that our response would be to condemn the world, or at least most of the individuals in it, for their crimes against us. We would be angry. We might claim we wouldn’t be, that we would do a better job of loving everyone than God does, but as soon as someone rejected our preferences for the universe, we would be sorely tempted to solve the problem by removing the person. But Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world. That wasn’t His purpose 2000 years ago, and it’s not His purpose today. He will, ultimately, c

              “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry,   and do not give the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:26-27)           First, a note. “In your anger, do not sin,” is from Psalm 4:4, the Septuagint version. When I checked the verse, according to the NIV translation of the verse, it says, “Tremble and do not sin.” I’m not sure how the Greek scholars made the connection between trembling and anger. It could as easily be fear. But I love the image involved. We are being told we shouldn’t get so angry that we’re trembling with fury. If we’re trembling, that means our strings are pulled so tightly that they may snap – and lose self-control.           We’re in a time when it is popular to be angry. People of different ideologies regularly talk about destroying one another. If questioned, they are likely to suggest that they have a right to be angry and that we should all be angry about injustice, crime, war, pollution, etc. The problem is,

            Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10) What does it mean to be devoted? The etymology of the word is that something that was devoted was set aside for some purpose by a vow. It was a formal, legal act that effectively made the thing that you have devoted no longer yours. I know people who were devoted to TV shows like Game of Thrones and Walking Dead. There are folks who are devoted to some sport, whether playing, watching, or both. Heaven help you if you interrupt or interfere. My first inclination with regard to being devoted is that I have a hard time devoting myself to anything. I’d like to say “except God,” but I don’t think my life bears witness to that devotion at the moment. The problem is, I spent 20 years tracing my family tree. When I got home from work, I’d get online. My vacations were spent – at least in part – wandering through cemeteries and sitting in libraries. I spent most mornings this past winter weedi

                      Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up .    (Romans 15:2)                 Do you know your neighbors? Older folks apparently do a little better at this than younger, but up to 25% of Americans say they don’t. I have to question whether those who say they do know lots of their neighbors, or just one or two, and whether they have regular conversations with them, or just know them to wave and say, “Hi!” I’m one of those “don’t know” folks. I know who some of my neighbors are because we’ve shared the same block and I knew some of their kids when I was growing up, but I don’t really know them. One neighbor is a people person, and she and I have talked once in a while for quiet a few years, but most of the rest live in their little worlds, and I live in mine. Over the past two years, the neighbor behind my friendly neighbor and I have started talking about gardens. Jeff loaded my weed whacker for me yesterday, and we’ve traded excess g

             You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. (Galatians 5:13) The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;   idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions   and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)                  Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping.  “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?”  he asked Peter.   “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:40-41)           Usually, when people discuss this verse, “indulge the flesh” refers to things like those found in the worst extremes in today’s passage from Galatians. It’s all the nasty stuff we’re

            I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. (I Corinthians 1:10) Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11) In the book of Acts, when issues came up, like the treatment of widows or the issue of whether Gentiles had to become good Jews before they could become Christians, the matter was taken to the church leadership. They discussed it and issued their decisions, and that was supposed to end that. Of course, it didn’t. Paul was still teaching about those followed where he went, telling people that Paul was wrong, and that their men had to be circumcised. Even the letter that we call First Corinthians was sent in part bec

            But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness. (James 3:17-18) The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery;   idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions   and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,     gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:19-24) When the going gets rough, how do you think? I’ve said before that our response to pain, stress, fear, or difficulty tends to be that our thoughts spiral down to the size and shape of the stimulus. We want it to go away. Even Jesu

    God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.  (Hebrews 6:10) Yesterday may have been a bit of a rabbit trail, but I hope it was useful because transactionalism isn’t the way God works. At the same time, returning to the positive side of the coin, He does remember. What we do is not wasted. It may not be valued the way we think it should be. If we do something to look good, we have our reward when others praise us. The things we do that we barely notice we’ve done, but which we’ve done because we love God or love our neighbor are likely to be considered of greater value. Today’s passage specifically notes that God doesn’t forget our work on behalf of His people, which means for the Church, first and foremost, and then for people in general, since they are also His, created in His image. Another possibility is that while we think what is valued is the overcoming of others, God seems to val

           God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. (Hebrews 6:10) One of the temptations when the going gets rough is to think that God is somehow displeased with us and punishing us. Everything we’ve done hasn’t mattered to God at all. None of it is good enough. Somehow, we’ve done something so terribly wrong that nothing else matters – even though we can’t figure out what that thing is. The problem of God being displeased with us and punishing us even though we don’t know what we did to deserve it is deal with in Job. Bad things happen to good people, period. We don’t know why, but we need to get past the silly notion that bad things don’t happen to good people, or that good things don’t happen to bad people. God gives grace to both and allows hardship to both. It’s not a contest. But today’s passage deals with the other issue: the idea that everything we’ve done doesn’t matter to

              Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! (Romans 11:33) As I look at what I consider the rough times of my life, first, while I think they seem rough, they don’t seem to compare with the rough times faced by people around the world or throughout history. I have it easy. But that doesn’t make the rough times I face seem any less rough. Sure, I’m not being drawn and quartered, or put in a prison camp, but does that mean my pain and struggles are any less real? No. Does it ease that pain even a tiny bit? No. So what possible good are we to get out of information about the rough times others face? Today’s verse is one of the answers. We tend to like to have things kept very simple. God lets or causes people to suffer because… one reason stated in 25 words or less. That explains all suffering, through all time, everywhere! Except, of course, it doesn’t work like that. God had Noah spe

             The  Lord  your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17) First, this was written about the remnant of Israel. To some extent, it may be said that this is true of us as individuals because it is true of us as a part of the remnant of Israel. In other words, I believe it does apply to us, and to me, but not as if we are (or I am) something special. God didn’t choose Israel because it was great or good. At the same time, this is one of those verses I struggle to apply to myself. Of course, God is the Mighty Warrior who saves. That’s His job. He could no more not do that than I could give up breathing by force of will. I’m cool with that. But… take great delight? In His love…rejoice over me with singing? I can see God crooning a paternal love song to Jesus, but to me? And the answer is, “Yes, to me, and to you.” Just because the answ

            As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. (Ecclesiastes 11:5) “You are Israel’s teacher,”  said Jesus,  “and do you not understand these things?   Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.   I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?   (John 3:10-12) Every so often, someone shares a picture of the earth as seen from Saturn: a tiny dot almost lost amidst the dust of the rings that circle the huge planet, reminding us that we are from a tiny, insignificant nothing of a planet orbiting a relatively insignificant star off at the comparative edge of an arm of a galaxy. We’re nobody, we’re nothing. We think far too much of ourselves, they tell us. And, of course, they don’t go far enough, because