July 1, 2017

Isaiah 1:  7 Learn to do right; seek justice.
    Defend the oppressed.[a]
Take up the cause of the fatherless;
    plead the case of the widow.

Isaiah had a tough job. He had to tell the people that they were bad. And he warned what God was going to do to them. God was tired of their evil ways, but Isaiah tells them what God wants. Not offerings, but this kind of action. 

As a member of the resistance to our current President, I am certain that I follow these directions. We seek justi and try to improve the lives of the oppressed and poor. It's not an easy stand to make when you live surrounded by those who have supported the one who threatens these same people, but we persist. 

Prayer:  Lord, guide my actions to be those which promote justice and mercy. Show me how to better represent You in a world which threatens the weak. 

Amen

June 30, 2017

Titus 2:  2 8 and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.

Paul tells the various demographic groups in the church how they should behave. Older women should avoid gossip and too much wine. Older men should be hard-working, and both should be role models for the younger ones. The sexism is there when he tells young women to submit to their husbands. It's the younger men who get the advice in verse 8. 

I was drawn to this as I am part of the resistance to our current President and his policies. We are making progress, but we need to consider our words and actions carefully. Our enemies, as they identify themselves, are anxiously waiting to trip is up. 

Prayer:  Lord, stand beside me as I work to see Your work done in my troubled country. Guide my thoughts, words and actions to lift You up and not to bring others down. Help me to work for a more Christ-like climate in my community, state, nation and world. 
Amen 

May 18, 2017

1 Kings 3:  9  "So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

Solomon has been praying a lot. He doesn't feel that he is able to rule God's people. He has been at the high place where he prays when he falls asleep. God comes to him in a dream and asks what his greatest wish is. This is his reply. God is impressed, offering him this and so much more. 

Prayer:  Lord, I also recognize how ill-equipped I am. I can't seem to move forward in the way I think I should. I need Your guidance to help me. I want to fulfill the plan You have for me, but I am weak. Guide my thoughts, words, and actions in Your name. 
Amen

May 17, 2017

Psalms 95:  2 Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

The Psalmist begins with a call to sing for joy to the Lord, whom he called the Rock of Salvation. He reminds us how great our God is. He tells us to bow before our Creator and to listen for His voice. 

As I prayed this morning, I remembered all the concerns I have. I prayed for the usual groups and persons who are in need. Then it occurred to me that I rarely praise God, outside of the parts of The Lord's Prayer, which I recite daily. Usually I focus on forgiveness for myself and others even when praying that. The use of praise, especially praise songs, is a practice I should revive. 

Prayer:  Lord, You are Almighty. You have all of creation in Your hands. I give thanks for all the ways You make my life better. I'm especially grateful for the gift of faith, which helps me to see You in my life. 

Amen

May 16, 2017

1 Thessalonians 5:  15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

Paul commends those who work for the Lord. He advises guidance for those who don't. He encourages patience. Then he offers these words. 

It's hard to follow this advice. It's easy to commend the good people, unless you are jealous of them. It's a lot harder to find effective ways to guide the "idle and disruptive" folks. Patience is a virtue many lack, especially today. But the last verse, well, it's just not likely to happen. Nobody pays back wrong for wrong?  And we choose to do what is best for everyone else?  Not in this lifetime!  We can try, but we better use a little of that patience on ourselves. 

Prayer:  I will try, Lord, to work and serve You well. I will look for ways to guide the people who don't advance Your work on Earth. I will try to be more patient. I'm going to focus on what is good for the people I encounter and even those far away. Be with me. 
Amen

May 11, 2017

Matthew 28:  2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.

The guards were afraid, but the church leaders got together a cover up. They paid the guards to say that the disciples stole the body. They said they would back the guards' story if it was questioned. 

It's incomprehensible to me that the leaders of a church would act like that in the face of all the evidence that God was behind the resurrection. Hypocrisy of the highest order was evident. I'm thinking that the point of this for me is to doubt authority. Absolute power corrupts absolutely and lesser amounts of power also corrupt. God is really all we can trust. 

Prayer:  Lord, You are almighty. You have the best plans for our lives, but we can't see them. Hold us close and comfort us as the wicked world tries to keep us down. 
Amen

May 10, 2017

Matthew 27:  45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. 

Jesus is being crucified. The rebels are on either side of him. He has already been whipped, and the soldiers took his clothing. People passing by made fun of him, so powerless now. At 3, he cries out and dies. 

 The injustice of it and the pain he suffered make it hard to read. I can better imagine the whole world gone dark in midday. How dark must the hearts of the followers have been!  To see this man,  their teacher whom they loved, treated so badly. How could they possibly foresee a time when things would be good again?

Prayer:  Lord, I am so sad when I picture the crucifixion. It's just so unfair, so cruel, and I hurt for the pain Your people have caused You. I confess that I have contributed to that. Please forgive me. I know all my blessings are thanks to Your horrid sacrifice. 
Amen

May 8, 2017

Matthew 25:   45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’"

Jesus is talking about the Second Coming. He has separated the sheep from the goats. The sheep have followed his commands, helping all the people. The goats did not, and now they're surprised that they are being judged for their selfish behavior. They're headed for eternal punishment. 

It's going to be a rough time for so many. They have skated through life, thinking that they have the key to the Kingdom, when in fact, they don't. They believed in themselves, not in God. They were not listening to the groaning of their fellow man. I don't want to be part of the silent majority who never stood up for the people who need the most support. 

Prayer:  Lord, show me how to help Your people. Make plain the path I should follow. I don't want to face You and Your son with a guilty conscience. I want to be a good and faithful servant. 
Amen

May 6, 2017

Psalms 51:  10 Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

David has sinned, coveting Uriah's wife, sleeping with her, and then setting up Irish to die in an attempt to cover his sins up. God isn't fooled, and He takes their baby son. David is disconsolate until the child dies. Then he gets up and seeks to make things right with God. This Psalm reflects his feelings well. 

Story of my 2017 so far:  stop for a brief interruption, and never finish the piece. 

May 5, 2017

Matthew 22:  37 Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

Jesus is being bothered by the religious authorities. The Pharisees ask what is the greatest commandment. That's after the Sadducees have come with their questions about the afterlife, and after a previous Pharisee question on taxes. They hope to trip Jesus up, but he has all the answers. 

If only I could follow this command. But I find myself in reaction mode, struggling through day after day. I don't see the big picture in the midst of the activities. I know that there is relief available, but I am on the treadmill, trying to keep my pace going. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am not a great servant to You. I don't listen for Your voice in the tumult of daily life. I'm letting life dominate me. Help me to find You everywhere I go. 
Amen

May 1, 2017

Matthew 18:  12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?"

Jesus has talked about the children. He says that woe will come to any who cause a child to lose faith. Then he tells about the lost sheep, and he concludes by saying that the shepherd will rejoice more for the one that returns than for the 99 who remained. 

I'm sitting here hoping my wayward dog returns home. He hasn't run away in months. I had thought him trained, but I turned my back and he disappeared. It's been nearly 2 hours. I have sat outside to watch for him, but I haven't gotten a glimpse of him. I know that I will rejoice when he returns, but I will also be more cautious next time I take him out. How we must hurt God when we stray. I'm hurting for my pup right now. 

Prayer:  First, please send Rocky home. His pack is waiting. And I will add a prayer for all Your pack who have wandered off as well. Help them to feel Your presence, and let them know the joy You will feel once they return. 
Amen

April 30, 2017

Matthew 17:   27 “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

The officials want to know why Jesus doesn't pay the temple tax. So he does, but he does it his own way.

 This is a story I don't recall hearing anyone preach about. It's really as much a miracle as others we know about. Poor Jesus. He has to deal with ignorant people all the time. He has a lot on his mind anyway as he prepares for his death. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am so sorry that we are so sinful. I pray for the strength to step away from my sinful inclination and towards love. Guide my steps. 
Amen. 

April 29, 2017

Psalm 139:  14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

David is full of praise for God and curses for his enemies. For 18 verses he is wonderfully poetic about God, then he slams his enemies for 5 verses before 2 really tight closing verses. The main message, from the first part, is about the unique and rich relationship between God and himself. It's awesome to see him acknowledge his strengths and then to say that is because God made him that way. 

I want to feel that relationship that David and God shared. God knows me like no one else ever could, and he loves and wants the best for me. It's such a blessing to have a relationship with your Creator. 

Prayer:  You are a mighty God, and You made me in Your likeness, as a creation. I offer praises for You, for all You have done for me and for all Your people. 

Amen

April 24, 2017

1 Samuel 28:  15 Samuel said to Saul, “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?”

Saul is going to fight the Philistines. He has been out pouch with God, and no one can assure him that God will be with him. So he finds a medium in Endor, and he goes to her in disguise. She is able to contact Samuel,echo tells Saul that he will lose and his son's will die. 

I am fascinated by the medium. This story tells me that people can contact the dead, but Samuel sure isn't happy about being contacted. This comes after I realized that it was 2 years ago today that my mother and I traveled to her brother's memorial service. I lost her a few months later. They are with the angels now, and that is as it should be. We should not disturb them, but we will see them again when the time is right. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am reassured that my loved ones rest with You. I know that someday I'll be there too. Thanks for the gift of Faith. I pray for those who lack Faith. Help me to see how to guide others to You. 
Amen

April 23, 2017

Matthew 10:  8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a]drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

Jesus sends out the disciples. He offers lots of advice about the dangers and hardships they will face. He tells them what they should do. He explains how their gift of faith will spread. 

I immediately began singing the words to the song "Freely, Freely."  They are ringing in my head. It's been a week since Easter, and we should still be thinking about the gifts we have received by faith. There are so many, and we are never properly grateful. 

Prayer:  Lord, thanks for all You do for Your people. We aren't properly grateful, and You forgive us every day. Your love and goodness is beyond our comprehension. Praise be to God. 
Amen

April 17, 2017

1 Samuel 19:  5 He took his life in his hands when he killed the Philistine. The Lord won a great victory for all Israel, and you saw it and were glad. Why then would you do wrong to an innocent man like David by killing him for no reason? "

Jonathan speaks to his dad about David. Jonathan likes David, and he cannot understand why his dad is so threatened by him. It's tough to see your own father with such flaws in character. 

Yesterday was Easter. It's easy to see Jonathan's question asked about the crucifixion. Jesus was innocent of any wrongdoing. He had been doing the Lord's work, and others were threatened by his closeness to his Father. 

Prayer:  Lord, help me to see Your people doing Your work in the same way You do. Don't let my sinful self be a stumbling block to Your will. Guide me. 
Amen

April 13, 2017

1 Samuel 14:  29 Jonathan said, “My father has made trouble for the country. See how my eyes brightened when I tasted a little of this honey. "

Jonathan was not pleased that his dad was delaying the attack on Philistine army. He and his armor bearer went over to attack. While they were gone, Saul made an order that no one should eat all day. Jonathan ate honey from the ground. Everyone was horrified and told him why. This is his response. 

Jonathan begins to realize that the King isn't always right. This is the necessary beginning to the conflict between Saul and David. Jonathan is able to take David's side, the I
Lord's side, after this. We, too, should question human authority when it doesn't seem to be the right thing to follow. 

Prayer:  Lord, I will follow You. I will question everything else. If someone has a plan which opposes Your truth, I will stand up for You. It isn't an easy path, but I promise to follow only You. 
Amen

April 8, 2017

1 Samuel 4:  20 As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

It's a sad ending for Eli. He served the Lord for 40 years, but he was a bad, indulgent parent who stood by as his sons blasphemed God. And now, he has been punished. His sons have been killed in the battle which also lost the Ark of God. When he heard about the Ark, he fell over and died too. Now his daughter-in-law is dying in childbirth, and even her great triumph in producing a son has no meaning for her. 

We don't know much about Ichabod, born in such sad circumstances. He lived and his brother was later mentioned, named by the connection to his sibling, rather than as a son of Phineas. That makes scholars think he must have been well known at the time. I'm sad for Ichabod, and for all the other motherless children, tarnished by the sins of their ancestors. It makes me think about oppressed people today. And it makes me consider how adults affect their offspring through their own weakness. 

Prayer:  Lord, guide me to represent You well. It's both the long-term and short-term effects of my actions that I ask you to make me aware of. Help me to overcome my weakness. I need Your strength and insight. 
Amen

April 6, 2017

Psalm 65:  9
You care for the land and water it;(R)
    you enrich it abundantly.(S)
The streams of God are filled with water
    to provide the people with grain,(T)
    for so you have ordained it

This Psalm of David is full of imagery about the Earth.  He talks about the seas and the mountains.  He talks about morning and evening.  He talks about the seasons and the bounty of the Earth. And all that bounty is tied to the water.

I am thinking about our new President and his lack of concern about our water.  He says it's all about jobs, and that we need to make it easier for employers to hire people by eliminating protections over the streams.  I think he's wrong, and I am vindicated by this Psalm.  David was God's boy, and he surely knew the importance of water to our well-being.

Prayer:  Lord, I am concerned about Your planet.  Please guide our leaders to protect Your creation.  

Amen

April 4, 2017

2 Corinthians 4:  4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 

Paul talks about how rough it is for the Christians of his day. He says that the light of Christ must shine out of our "jars of clay."  We persevere, even though the secular world doesn't see what we do. 

It's another hard time to be a Christian, when hypocrites step up and bend Scripture to suit their motives. If you want to follow the path Christ left, you are mocked by unbelievers and horrified by the people who represent themselves as your brothers and sisters in Christ. I am thinking about"the God of this age."  

Prayer:  Lord, I am struggling. I want to be a positive force for You in this troubled world. Guide my steps to reflect what Your will for me is. 
Amen

March 28, 2017

1 Corinthians 13:  . 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Paul has a lot to say about love. It's patient and kind. It doesn't celebrate a list of wrongs or boast about its superiority. There is no desire to punish or belittle others. Instead it looks for the good and encourages that. 

I'm here in Kentucky for my aunt's funeral. I'm ending a long drought of this faithful practice, Life Journal. I came here in the wee hours,with little sleep after a long day of travel. I'm searching for words that will comfort me and maybe others too. This verse does that. It speaks to Nita's life. She overcame many obstacles, some of which she inflicted on herself and those she loved, through an enduring love for God's people. 

Prayer:  Lord, forgive my lapses in faith and love. Guide me to protect, to hope, to persevere. Help me to find the way to show my love and Yours to those in need. 
Amen

February 7, 2017

Leviticus 5:  If anyone sins because they do not speak up when they hear a public charge to testify regarding something they have seen or learned about, they will be held responsible.

Leviticus is a rule book. Here it's addressing the rules for sacrifices. It's very clear on how that works, and the sacrifice for different offenses and for different kinds of people are spelled out. This is one of the possible offenses. 

This is something I have been thinking about a lot. I have learned about issues that conflict with the positions of our current President. I don't want to cause bad feelings between myself and friends and family who disagree about his Presidency. But it's a sin if I don't speak out. I will be responsible if others don't have the knowledge I have. 

Prayer:  Lord, guide me how to point out the information I have on matters without unnecessary agitation of those I care about. Show me how to reach others with Your truth. Let me become a fount of knowledge for those who need the truth. Help me to do all this with love. 

Amen

February 6, 2017

Acts 13:   10 “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? "

Paul says that to the false prophet, Bar-Jesus. His boss sent for Paul and Barnabus, because the boss wants to hear the truth. But Bar-Jesus won't let that happen, until Paul tells him off and makes him blind temporarily. The boss understands that. 

I don't normally choose negative passages. But these days, I sometimes feel like a good calling out is needed. When people claim that they are followers, but their words and actions say otherwise, don't we owe it to God to say that?  

Prayer:  God, we need You to show us Your true followers. Help us to identify and confront those who pervert Your ways. I pray for Your people here and around the world. 
Amen

February 5, 2017

Acts 12:   20 He had been quarreling with the people of Tyre and Sidon; they now joined together and sought an audience with him. After securing the support of Blastus, a trusted personal servant of the king, they asked for peace, because they depended on the king’s country for their food supply.

Herod has had the guards who were watching Peter executed. He has had James killed before that, and he had been encouraged by the fact that the Jews were all right with that. That's when he had Peter imprisoned. It was his intention to kill Peter too, but the angel freed him. Now he feels invincible, but God has other plans. Herod, clad in his royal gowns, is struck dead right in front of everyone by an angel. 

This is a story that I don't remember. God and his angels have been busy. The people are a mess, and Herod is sure that he is the ultimate authority. Once God acts, Herod's power is revealed to be transient. All of us should remember that, because ours is too. 

Prayer: I need You, God. I'm trying to do it myself again. I forget that You are always with me. Surrender isn't easy but here it goes:  Thy will be done. Seriously. I'm handing the reins to You. Protect and heal Your people. We all need You. 
Amen

February 4, 2017

Psalm 19:
 12 But who can discern their own errors?

    Forgive my hidden faults.
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
    may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
    innocent of great transgression.

14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
    be pleasing in your sight,
    Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

I'm posting these verses on the morning of the fifth. I read them last night, but I was too tired for a full post. I'm awake way too early this morning, but I want a record of last night's reflection. In the middle of the recovery from Ron's accident, I need to remember to praise my God and to question my own judgment. God knows best. That's all. 

February 1, 2017

Acts 8:  35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

Philip has been sent by God to the eunuch. They are traveling, and the eunuch has been reading Isaiah. Philip goes nearer and asks if he understands it. He doesn't, so Philip explains. The eunuch is baptized and goes on his way. 

There are 2 stories in this chapter about people we never hear any more about. The eunuch is one, and the other is a sorcerer who hears and believes. However, he tries to buy the Stairway to Heaven. Peter calls him out, he asks for forgiveness, and the story moves on. It was so difficult to be a Christian in those days. The disciples must have had many stories like these. And I grow weary with so few obstacles, beyond my own self, to my faith. 

Prayer:  Lord, I am weak. I get tired of doing the good work, and I despair. I'm not willing to forgive. I want to hold on to my righteous indignation, even though I know it doesn't help a thing. Help me to let it go. Strengthen my faith, so that I may better serve You. 
Amen