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Posts Tagged ‘The Spirit’

Job 8: Taking the Dare – Part III

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on May 19, 2023| Leave a Comment »


Job 8: Taking the Dare – Part III

Friday, May 19, 2023

Job and his Friends

Job and his Friends

God’s trust in humanity is so enduring that the Creator takes the dare from Satan. How might we return this amazing trust? God the parent guides and protects us every waking moment and every sleeping hour. We need not eradicate all of the evil in the world; we need only keep our eyes on Christ and do as he asks; we need only open ourselves to the miracles of the Spirit and follow.

God’s hope in us is so strong that Christ returns for us. How might we learn from this strength? Christ reconciles and guides us. And so must we heal and shepherd others. We need only bloom where we are planted, reap the harvest that God has sown.

God’s love for us is so infinite that the Spirit resides eternally in us. How might we return this love? By tending to the marginalized, the broken-hearted and the bereft, by entering into transformation, and inviting others to join us.

In the marvelous story of Job, his friend Bildad cannot believe that Job suffers innocently. He cannot fathom why God allows misfortune to befall one of the ardent faithful. “Does God mess up?” he asks. “Does God Almighty ever get things backward?” He encourages Job not to hang his life from one thin thread, not to hitch his fate to a spider web. Bildad sees Job’s misfortune as punishment, and so might we if we do not read closely. After consideration we understand that Job suffers precisely because God trusts him, believes in him, and loves him. God restores all that Job loses and more, and this is a gesture that Satan cannot understand in his narrow, stingy world. God trusts that Job will not turn away in desperation or fatigue, and this is an attitude that Satan cannot countenance from his pathetic, narrow perspective. God allows Job to choose between hope and desperation, and this is a love that Satan cannot comprehend with his tragic, empty heart.

If God is so willing to take Satan’s dare, so willing to trust humanity with the enormity of God’s infinite goodness and mercy, might we then be willing to follow Jesus? Might we be willing to open ourselves fully to the Spirit?

Image from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Job_and_his_friends.jpg

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John 1:1-5: The Word

Posted in Favorite, tagged , , on May 4, 2023| Leave a Comment »


John 1:1-5: The Word

Thursday, May 4, 2023

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

I am always inspired by this beautiful anthem, and no wonder.  It says all there is to say.

He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

God created us to be with him. God loves us deeply, dearly, passionately, intimately. God speaks to us, but we sometimes have difficulty understanding the words .

In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. 

And so God sent The Word, His Word, The Only Word, to move, and live, and suffer and rejoice among us. And when this Living Word left us, God’s Spirit returned to dwell with us forever, to help us to understand the words that God speaks to us constantly.

The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

We are driven into the desert to meet the tempter. And the Word is there. We confront ourselves each day. And the Word is also there. We are free to choose to listen for and comprehend the Word given to us through Jesus, spoken to us by the Spirit. We are free to join our God and together make all things new, to experience God’s saving and loving Word.

Image from: https://www.dreamstime.com/open-bible-dark-light-falls-sacred-image182328585

Adapted from a Favorite written on April 1, 2008. 

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Luke 2:25-35: Simeon

Posted in Advent, Web site included, tagged , , , , , on December 16, 2020| Leave a Comment »


Wednesday, December 16, 2020

Luke 2:25-35

Rembrandt: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Rembrandt van Rijn: The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple

Simeon

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.               

Righteous, devout, awaiting the consolation of Israel . . . Simeon focuses all of his spiritual, mental and physical energy on God. We imagine what sort of award awaits us when we determine to live as Simeon lives.

He came in the Spirit into the temple . . . Not only does Simeon live in the Spirit but he carries this Spirit with him wherever he goes. We imagine what effect we might have on the world if we are as faithful as Simeon.

“A second Lucan theme lies in the setting: Jerusalem and the Temple. For Luke the ministry of Jesus moves toward Jerusalem and the mission of the church moves out from Jerusalem. As for the Temple, Luke is alone among NT writers in is favorable view. His Gospel begins with Zechariah in the Temple and it will close with Jesus’ disciples in the Temple”. (Mays 932)

In this Advent time of year when all the world awaits  relief from a pandemic, and when we await Christ’s coming into the world, let us consider the many directions in which we feel ourselves pulled, the many losses we feel, and let us determine to await Christ in the temple of our hearts. Let us decide to take the story of our salvation to the world.

Tomorrow . . . a third Lucan theme.

To read and understand more about the importance of Simeon’s words, click on the image above or go to: http://www.jesuswalk.com/lessons/2_21-38.htm 

Or enter the word Simeon into the blog search bar and explore.

Image from: https://www.canvasreplicas.com/Presentation-of-Jesus-in-the-Temple-Rembrandt-van-Rijn-Painting-Reproductions.htm

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1 Chronicles 24: Minutiae

Posted in Favorite, tagged , , , on December 19, 2019| Leave a Comment »


1 Chronicles 24: Minutiae

Thursday, December 19, 2019

The High Priest Zadok

When we discover that we focus on the minutiae of life rather than its living, we know that we have stepped over a line.  When we begin to split hairs and argue the details, we know that we have gone a bit too far.  When we become fascinated by the rules and parameters rather than the Spirit, we must take a step back and evaluate.  Today we have an opportunity to reflect on the minutiae and the living of our lives.

“Historically, this organizational system [of priestly duties] was developed only after the return from Babylon and not in David’s day.  Two motivations led to its development.  The first is a practical matter: the increased number of priests required a rotation of priestly duties.  Second, this ordering of the priesthood may have been an attempt to resolve a squabble between the line of Abiathar, banned from the priesthood by Solomon (1 Kings 2:26), and the line of Zadok, represented by those priests returning from exile . . . [in which] both are linked with Aaron through his two sons”.  (Mays 323)

Giotto: Abiathar

In this example of revisionism we see the ancient struggle with minutiae which remains with us today.  We fuss about who sits where and who wears what and who knows whom rather than focus on overcoming our fears and living our life to our fullest potential.  We have seen this before; we understand the truth of these words.  Deep within we know that must put aside our fretting over details and forget about any hierarchy we construct to turn instead to God’s generous goodness and high goals.  Rather than lust after a name or position in society, rather than amass possessions to leave to our heirs, we must respond to God’s call.

Our true example is Jesus Christ, not the most popular person we know.  And our true goal is to love as God loves us, not to love for the sake of gaining something.  With all of this in mind, we remember those who squabble over petty gains, we remind ourselves that our vocation must be more than minutiae, and we ask for God’s blessing in all we do.

Mays, James L., ed.  HARPERCOLLINS BIBLE COMMENTARY. New York, New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1988. 323. Print.

First written on November 15, 2010, re-written and posted today as a Favorite.

For more on Zadok or Abiathar click on the images above or go to: http://www.realmagick.com/zadok-high-priest-zadok-in-the-bible/ and http://spectrummagazine.org/node/2759 

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Ezekiel 18: A New Heart and a New Spirit

Posted in Favorite, tagged , , , , , , , , on March 9, 2019| Leave a Comment »


Ezekiel 18: A New Heart and a New Spirit

Saturday, March 9, 2019

Written on December 17, 2010 and posted today as a Favorite . . .

Jacob Willemsz de Wet: Workers in the Vineyard

The prophet Ezekiel foreshadows the story Jesus tells us in Matthew 20 about the vineyard owner who pays the same wage to the worker who has worked for but an hour as he does to the one who has worked all day.  We are cautioned by both prophet and Messiah not to complain about God’s generosity – we may one day hope to benefit from this abundance.

The prophet also foretells the story Jesus describes in Luke 15 who leaves his ninety-nine sheep to go in search of the one that is lost.  We are told by both prophet and Savior that we are as precious to God as that one sheep.  This story is told as an illustration of God’s determination to call us – we may one day have need of this persistence.

Ezekiel tells the people in exile that they must move beyond these old proverbs and customs of believing that the sins of one generation are visited upon another.  He foresees what Jesus tells, that there will be a Messianic Age when we are released from the old and given a new heart and a new spirit – this spirit is forgiveness – this heart is love.

This is wonderful news!  Yet, it brings with it a reality that we may not want to hear.   With this newness comes the responsibility to return and repent.  We cannot expect that the good we have done will somehow outweigh the bad; yet we have the certain knowledge that all Ezekiel has foretold is true.  God will persist in calling out to us as we wander lost and alone.  And God has a heart large enough to repair any damage that has been done either by us or to us – for we have this promise from the prophet Ezekiel that we see fulfilled in our brother the Christ.  Jesus has died yet lives.  Jesus returns for us . . . so that we might live.  The Spirit abides with us . . . and brings us this new heart . . . this new spirit . . . as a gift from God.  All we need do is reach out our hands, and open our hearts.

 For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies, says the Lord God.  Return and live!

A re-post from December 16, 2011. 

Images from: https://thenoontimes.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/jacobwillemszdewetdasm11.jpg and http://www.ideachampions.com/heart/archives/quotes/index.shtml

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Mark 1-3: A Reason to Believe

Posted in Lent, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 20, 2019| Leave a Comment »


Mark 1 -3: A Reason to Believe

Tuesday, February 20, 2019

Today we return to the Gospel of Mark and when we study these opening Chapters we discover that they provide the perfect resource for us when we have had a bad day, an awful week, a cataclysmic month, or a horrendous span in our lives.  In these simple stories we will find the courage to continue an arduous journey; we will find hope that will impel us forward through tragedy.  We will even find the strength to help others who journey alongside us. Mark shows us a typical series of days in the life of Jesus in such a way that we might see ourselves putting aside our worldly worries to follow him.  Mark, with his quick-moving, thriller Gospel, gives us a reason to believe.

John the Baptist serves as a precursor or herald for the Messiah who follows him.  Our troubles and woes often announce themselves as well.  We feel a frisson of fear, a foreshadowing of something not fully revealed.  When we follow Jesus we will know that these forebodings are not our ultimate end.  Our end is rescue and redemption.  John baptizes the one who saves us all and Jesus unites with us in our own baptism.

The Spirit drives Jesus into the desert for forty days where he lives among wild beasts, is tempted by Satan and is ministered to by angels.  We too are driven into the barren wastes where we also met with devils and angels.  When we follow Jesus we will know that these dead places are not our last stop – even though they may seem to be at the time.  Jesus relies on the Father and unites with us in our own sufferings and temptations.

Jesus begins his ministry.  He cures many.  He gathers a following.  He chooses steadfast friends from the countless who follow him.  He is hounded by those who envy his relationship with God and the people.  We too step into the world to reveal our gifts and to allow God to act through us.  We too encounter obstacles to the Call we feel.  We too are harassed by those who cannot abide our closeness with God.  When we follow Jesus we know that there is no one, no idea, no thought, no thing that can separate us from God.  God never strays; it is we who have the choice to abandon or to abide.  Just as Jesus turns always to the Father so do we.  Jesus unites with us in the struggle.

Jesus steps into dangerous territory and his family and friends caution him, they even question his work.  We have seen the look of disappointment on the faces of others who misunderstand our steadfastness, who feel betrayed by our fidelity to the Gospel.  We know the sensation of rejection when those we love can no longer abide with us in the Spirit.  Jesus invites us to be one with him in the sacrifice we make in our own Gospel journey.  Jesus bonds with us as his sisters and brothers; he holds us close.  Jesus becomes one with us and takes up our too-heavy cross.

These opening stories in the Gospel of Mark draw us into Jesus’ story just as a good cinematographer hooks us in the opening shots of a film.  Jesus moves from friend to foe, from those who love him to those to hate him; and he always keeps his eye on the Father.  Jesus accompanies us in our own story; and he helps us to be mindful of the Spirit.

As we prepare to enter the Lenten season, we do well to read these opening Chapters of the Gospel of Mark for he tells us all and he tells us quickly.  Mark celebrates Jesus even as he foretells his awful end.  Mark holds no punches, sweetens no madness, and obscures no ugliness.  Mark shows us all.  Mark’s story gives us hope when tragedy strikes.  Mark’s story gives us courage when cataclysm hits.  Mark’s story helps us to prepare for the journey.  Mark’s story gives us a reason to believe this amazing Christ.

A re-post from February 20, 2012.

Image from: http://www.atotheword.com/2011/04/05/jesus-man-born-blind-for-works-of-god-to-manifest-in-him/

For more on the Gospel of Mark, see the Mark – “I Am” page on this blog. 

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John 14:16: Seek Connection

Posted in Comparing Scripture, Mini-Noontime, tagged , , , , on December 2, 2017| Leave a Comment »


John 14:16: Seek Connection

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Jesus says: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, who will stay with you forever. (GNT)

God the Creator says:  I know that on many days you feel disconnected and ungrounded; but my Spirit lives in you to bring you home to me. I know that you spend nights feeling alone or even abandoned; but my Spirit is with you always. Do I not promise this to you in your exodus journeys that bring you out of enslavement to dangerous ways of life or thinking?

Jesus says: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. (NRSV)

God the Creator says: Do I not, in the person of my son during the great Discourse on the evening before my human death, promise that I will be with you always?

Jesus says: I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforting Counselor like me, the Spirit of Truth, to be with you forever. (CJB)

God the Creator says: Do I not promise to abide in you every morning at your rising, every noonday when you pause to rest in me, and every evening when you lie down to rest?

Jesus says: I will talk to the Father, and he’ll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. (MSG)

God the Creator says: You can rely on me. You can believe in me. You can stand firm on my shoulders. I speak the truth of my love to you when I tell you that I have been with you since before your inception; and I am with you through endless time and space. Rest peacefully in me. Always.

When we use the scripture links and the drop-down menus to explore this verse, we find new connections with the Creator, with Christ, and with the Holy Spirit. To discover how the Spirit helps us to understand Scripture, click on the image above of visit: https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/the-holy-spirit-the-word-of-god-and-you.html 

Tomorrow, seek participation as we begin the season of Advent.

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Psalm 16: Seek Confidence

Posted in Mini-Noontime, tagged , , , , , , , , , on November 24, 2017| Leave a Comment »


Psalm 16: Seek Confidence

Friday, November 24, 2017

Trust

When we begin to trust God, we grow in confidence. When we grow in confidence, we are better able to trust God.

You, Lord, are all I have,
    and you give me all I need;
    my future is in your hands.
How wonderful are your gifts to me;
    how good they are!

This is a beautiful prayer of Trust in God’s love for us – for his safekeeping of us. I like the metaphor of the Cup. It may refer to our daily drinking from the chalice of Christ’s sacrifice for us; or it may refer to our own willingness to offer our lives back to God as a blessing in the Cup of Our Lives.

God says: You have every reason to doubt my existence; but know that I move in you as the Spirit of goodness, justice, truth and mercy.

And so I am thankful and glad,
    and I feel completely secure,
because you protect me from the power of death.
I have served you faithfully,
    and you will not abandon me to the world of the dead.

God says: You have every reason to believe in me. I have created a world in which you have freedom of choice and the promise of my strength and guidance.

I praise the Lord, because God guides me,
    and in the night my conscience warns me.
I am always aware of the Lord’s presence;
    God is near, and nothing can shake me.

God says: When you read these verses today, rely on my deep and constant love for you.

You will show me the path that leads to life;
    your presence fills me with joy
    and brings me pleasure forever.

God says: Each time you recite these verses, my Spirit rises in you as it calls you to join me in the great mystery I have planned for us.

Protect me, O God; I trust in you for safety.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    all the good things I have come from you.”

God says: You have every reason to doubt me. You have every reason to believe in me. Today I call on the Spirit within you. Today I call you to place your trust in me. Today I ask you choose to grow and live in my love, mercy and confidence.

Adapted from a reflection written on July 1, 2007.

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Proverbs 12: If You Love Learning

Posted in Comparing Scripture, tagged , , , , , , on August 1, 2017| Leave a Comment »


Proverbs 12: If You Love Learning

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

The school in which I teach has a front portico with seven columns as a direct, overt message that we seek knowledge. (See Proverbs 9.) The school motto is: Veritatem prosequimur – Pursue truth. For an institution of learning, the image of Wisdom building her house is apt. Today we explore several verses from Chapter 12 as we reflect on the value of taking advice.

If you love learning, you love the discipline that goes with it—
    how shortsighted to refuse correction!

Acceptance of a valid critique is a sign of strength rather than weakness.

You can’t find firm footing in a swamp,
    but life rooted in God stands firm.

Building our spiritual house on Christ is a sign of our confidence in The Word.

The words of the wicked kill;
    the speech of the upright saves.

The gossip of bad people gets them in trouble;
    the conversation of good people keeps them out of it.

Sharing The Word with others is an invitation to the Spirit.

Fools have short fuses and explode all too quickly;
    the prudent quietly shrug off insults.

Living The Word brings us fortitude rather than fear.

Evil scheming distorts the schemer;
    peace-planning brings joy to the planner.

No evil can overwhelm a good person,
    but the wicked have their hands full of it.

Living as Jesus teaches is a sign of courage rather than submission.

Prudent people don’t flaunt their knowledge;
    talkative fools broadcast their silliness.

Sharing The Word in the Spirit is a sign that the Kingdom of God is here. The Kingdom of God is now.

When we compare other translations of these verses, we find that a love of learning is essential for workers in the Kingdom.

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