Blog Archives
The Kingdom, Letting God be God.
Devotional thought of the day:
“Set your hearts on his kingdom first, and on God’s saving justice, and all these other things will be given you as well.” Matthew 6:33 (NJB)
Most of those who claim to be Christian, would say we attempt this, to seek God’s kingdom, and then we go on to describe that we try to love God, and we really struggle to love our neighbors, that we do good things, we go to church sometimes we make every week! (but don’t ask us to remember what the sermons were about!) We might e talk about the missionaries we support. Even with all that – are we seeking His kingdom first? Do we really want to see Him in charge, to realize what it means for Him to reign over us?
Consider this…
“A Christian always triumphs from the Cross, through his self-renunciation, because he allows God’s omnipotence to act.” Escriva, The Furrow
What if seeking God’s kingdom means something that doing what we think is righteous? What if it means embracing the cross, the suffering, the very act that takes us out of the darkness of sin, into the light of God’s glory? If it meant realizing that He took on the pain of our broken lives… What if seeking His first His kingdom – meant letting God be God – and letting Him heal us, about realizing that we are cleansed of our own sin, and the injustice of the world?
What if it meant sitting there…. quietly, in stillness, and realizing the depth of God’s love for YOU?
That is where we enter the Kingdom – through Christ, in Christ, at the cross, that we would know the life we gain, that we are raised in. in Christ.
Hear St. Paul’s words,
3 You cannot have forgotten that all of us, when we were baptised into Christ Jesus, were baptised into his death. 4 So by our baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the Father’s glorious power, we too should begin living a new life. 5 If we have been joined to him by dying a death like his, so we shall be by a resurrection like his;
Romans 6:2-5 (NJB)
Joined to His death in the cross – from there to be brought to life … IN HIM. It’s His desire, it is the will of God, and looking to the cross – it begins there….and everything else – peace, joy, strength to endure, everything – comes with the life that begins in Him. It is His kingdom, His work, His will, all of God’s power – focus to act … to bring us life.
Lord Have mercy, and help us to realize what that mercy brings. AMEN
The Challenge of Apathy
Discussion/Devotional Thought of the Day:
It is, I believe, the greatest sin that challenges my generation of believers, and I know that it presents the two biggest challenges I have, as a pastor, and as a believer.
The first is dealing with the apathy of others – the lack of commitment of time and energy to the thing that we will confess means the most to us, our relationship with God, our trust in Him, the communion that He calls us into. We allow sin to come in and choke the Life lived in trusting God out. Choked out by the noise, the prevalent immorality, the pressure of finances, the demands on our time, the futility of the events of the world and leaders whose actions terrifying us… and as the Church, we become paralyzed.
The second is more personal, as I look out on my work, and say, what can one small church pastor do to stop this slide? I don’t see any reason to swim against the tide, unless I can bring others with me. So why fight, when few it seems actually want to join in the battle? When few even want to see the battle, but instead look to their own comfort. I read the prophets, and I identify with the Jeremiah’s who realize that there is an end to the battle, yet wonder how distant it will be, how far until the next revivial, the next time that god’s people stop doing what is right in their own eyes, and call out… to Him.. and find His presence…and knowing that peace is there no matter what – start joyously sacrificing to bring others into that peace, that joy, that merciful presence of God.
When will we realize that sacrfiice, isn’t sacrifice if what comes out of it completely obscures what life was like, before there was LIFE?
One of my favorite verses, which doesn’t seem like it deals with apathy, is from St Peter’s epistle. “simply concentrate on being completely devoted to Christ in your hearts. Be ready at any time to give a quiet and reverent answer to any man who wants a reason for the hope that you have within you. 1 Peter 3:(Phillips NT)
It does though, for it provides the answer to apathy, which is simply to adore the Lord who wasn’t apathetic towards you. To know that hope which He gives to you, as the Holy Spirit dwells within you, which is both the guarantee of God’s love and work and mercy, and the Comforter, Encourager and Strength. Realize that there will be days when the old adam, the you before you knew Christ, rises up and questions the worth of you action. Remind that old self that he was killed off in baptism, that your life now, is in Christ. You heart and mind, guarded by Him, kept in the Father’s unsurpassed, indescribable peace….
And you will find yourself apathetic, about dealing with apathy…. and as you are drawn by the Holy Spirit against the current of the world, don’t be surprised if others follow in your wake, their battle a little less, for you that is how God is using you. (and note – when you are weary.. their surge will help you as well.)
The Community of Believers….welcomes all
(note to new readers, one of my favorite devotional readers was a Roman Catholic priest of the last century. Don’t agree with everything he says, but much of it is profound and the discussions that come from quoting him and commenting on his quote can be beneficial. Such is today’s devotion! Please comment away!)
“Take not of the words of that working man who commented so enthusiastically after he had attended a gathering you had organized. “I had never heard people speak as they do here, about being noble, honest, kind and generous…” And he concluded in amazement: “Compared to the materialism of the Left or the Right, this is the true revolution.”
Any soul can understand the brotherhood Christ has established. Let us make a point of not adulterating that doctrine” ( J. Escriva – Furrow)
My thoughts:
It may seem arrogant to claim that those who live in Christ are more radical, more revolutionary than the extremes in politics. Until you realize that the revolutionary thought, the radical difference, is found in sacrifice, in having a mindset that means we embrace discomfort – it it will lighten another’s burdens, bring hope to those without hope, mercy to those who think they are past it, and joy in the midst of sorrow.
Let me be honest.. and blunt. Christians are people of superior morals, or of some high caliber of character that shines brighter than everyone else. We can be hypocrites, jerks, and yes, we still sin. But what is revolutionary, radical even, is that as we place our confidence in Christ’s work, in His ability to fix, heal, forgive, love, that sacrifice of His, that work of His, becomes part of us.
That means we can be honest – and caring, as we confront the situations we find ourselves in – even those of sin. 1 John 1 tells us not to hide what we do wrong, but to bring it before God – let Him forgive it, let Him cleanse and heal us. That brings relief, and peace, freedom from the anxieties of “getting caught” or what sin does to our understanding of who we are. We see Him fix our brokeness, and then we learn to desire that He does so for others…
and that radically changes things… its a revolutionary concept…because we don’t promise to fix a broken world – but to bring healing to those in it – even while we heal ourselves.
