Devotional

Usurpers

/ JJS / Leave a comment

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 51; 148, 2 Samuel 15:19-37, Acts 21:37-22:16, Mark 10:46-52

Absalom’s seizure of his father David’s throne was what we might call a bloodless coup. In the nine years between the rape of Absalom’s sister Tamar by David’s other son Amnon (the event which effectively destroyed their relationship), their father-son dynamic went from estranged, to distant, to cool, and finally to enmity. Absalom used much of this time to win the favor of the people of Israel and quietly plot against his father, whom he knew would be reluctant to do him harm. By the time David and his court realized the inevitability of Absalom’s usurpation, they could do little more than  flee to the countryside.

Both small changes and veritable revolutions can catch us unawares – especially when we don’t want to believe they’re happening. Surely David, steeped as he was in a lifetime of political intrigue, should have seen the warning signs. Perhaps his desire to be reconciled with a son he loved clouded his judgment. That same fatherly love had caused him to stay the hand of judgment when Amnon did the unthinkable to Tamar.

None of us have a kingdom at stake, but we should always be alert for those who would usurp the Kingdom.   Who are these people? Politicians who pay lip service to Christianity to further unrelated – sometimes contrary – agendas. Religious leaders who for personal gain exploit our desire to be generous and charitable. Cultural figures who use their Christianity – conservative, liberal, or moderate – as a sword instead of a plowshare.

Absalom won the love of the people before dethroning their God-anointed king. Like the proverbial frog boiled so gradually it didn’t notice, they probably didn’t realize when or why they were in hot water. Our church, our community, and even our nation can shift around us if it does so by nearly imperceptible degrees which we find easy to ignore because of love and loyalty.

Our own well intended perceptions can be skewed by many factors. If Christ remains our benchmark – our plumb line – we will be able to spot intentions and actions which claim the gospel but do not square with it.

Additional Reading:
For thoughts on today’s reading from Mark, see Stop! Collaborate and Listen.

Comfort: Christ is our most reliable standard. 

Challenge: When you love or are loyal to something, don’t be afraid to be critical of it.

Prayer: Loving and righteous God, make your ways clear to me. Amen.

Discussion: Have you ever been part of a community group whose character changed, or wasn’t who you thought they were?

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I Will Follow You (Wherever You May Go)

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whereweregoing

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 97; 147:12-20, 2 Samuel 15:1-18, Acts 21:27-36, Mark 10:32-45

Jesus wanted the disciples to be prepared for what was to come. In very plain language he predicted his death three times, yet the disciples did not seem to understand. On the third occasion he said:

See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death; then they will hand him over to the Gentiles; they will mock him, and spit upon him, and flog him, and kill him; and after three days he will rise again.

In the very next paragraph, “James and John […] said to him, ‘Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.’” They asked to sit at his right and left hands in paradise.  Jesus had to decline, but it seems gracious that he humored them at all considering what he’d told just them. One paragraph following the next doesn’t mean quite a bit of time couldn’t have elapsed between them, but asking favors after that seems a little … self-involved.

Yet we can all be self-involved. Our calling is to follow Christ and share him with others, but some of the most popular Christian books and preachers focus on the “name it and claim it” gospel which teaches what Jesus can do for us. Church is for worshipping our God, but we often choose one based more on how good it makes us feel than how it challenges us to grow in the radical love and humility Christ requests of his disciples.

We don’t find that “peace which passes all understanding” (Philippians 4:7) by praying for trouble-free lives, but by following Jesus wherever he leads, including enemy territory. And that “perfect love which casts out fear” (1 John 4:18)? It doesn’t sprout in hearts that play it safe; we first must face the fear of loving those we find unlovable.

Following Christ is its own reward. Step by step we are transformed and grow less concerned about what Christ can do for us, and more about how we can serve him.

Comfort: Following Christ transforms us. 

Challenge: Keep a journal about how following Christ changes you.

Prayer: Loving God, I set my face towards Christ. May my discipleship glorify your name. Amen.

Discussion: What’s the difference between a selfish prayer, and a prayer for yourself?

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Tradition!

/ JJS / 2 Comments

traditiontevyefiddler

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 89:1-18; 147:1-11, 2 Samuel 14:21-33, Acts 21:15-26, Mark 10:17-31

Since Jesus first challenged the Pharisees and their application of the law, his followers have struggled with our relationship to custom and tradition. Some, like Paul, look beyond tradition to a wider ministry. Others like the church in Jerusalem have a harder time letting go. Today Christians don’t observe many Jewish traditions or customs, but we have added many of our own which can make us seem as rigid as Pharisees. How do we know when to hold on, and when to let go?

Paul’s efforts to gather Gentiles under the umbrella of Christ’s grace caused many to doubt his commitment to his Jewish identity. Like many efforts at inclusiveness, Paul’s acceptance of “the other” was interpreted by his existing community as a rejection. To assuage their concerns, Paul went through the Jewish rituals of purification, but he understood his salvation was in Christ, not ritual. Modern churches experience something similar when leaders reach out to new people with different customs. From new musical styles to liturgical revision to more inclusive language, some people will resist change – and possibly grace.

But change simply for its own sake isn’t good either. When Jesus, using wine as a metaphor, declares “The old is good,” (Luke 5:39) he is talking about the very old – the love and purpose of God that predate even the law. We tend to forget customs and traditions were once new, and after a time we may focus more on a tradition than its purpose. In some churches, a misstep during the offertory, a bungling of the Words of Institution, or an improperly stored card table can cause great consternation. When this happens, it’s time to examine whether our traditions serve the very old, or if we – like the Pharisees – have lost sight of their true purpose. In the latter case we do not necessarily have to change our traditions, but we do need to renew our relationship to them.

As faithful followers of Christ, we should respect what he respected, and challenge what he challenged. To do this well, we must know why we do what we do.

Comfort: Traditions can bring us much comfort and sense of order. 

Challenge: Question traditions that don’t positively inform your faith life.

Prayer: I will sing of your steadfast love, O LORD, forever; with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 89:1)

Discussion: Families and groups of friends also form traditions. What are some of these traditions you value most, and why?

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Traditional Relationships

/ JJS / 2 Comments

elephants

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 42; 146, 2 Samuel 14:1-20, Acts 21:1-14, Mark 10:1-16

Time after time, Jesus taught his followers love, mercy, and justice supersede any technically correct but unjust applications of the law. He ate with “unclean” sinners (Mark 2). He violated Sabbath law to heal (Mark 3 and elsewhere) and declared the Sabbath was made for man, not the other way around. He declared all foods “clean” (Mark 7).  He criticized religious leaders for their hypocrisy (chapter all-of-them). Many felt like he was tossing out the rulebook. Until the Pharisees asked about divorce.

Suddenly Jesus was proposing stricter standards, saying Moses permitted divorce only because his people were stubborn and those who remarried committed adultery. Does this seem like an unexpected turn? Not if we understand that Jesus also calls us to integrity. At the time, a man could divorce his wife regardless of her wishes. After that he owed her nothing, and she could easily find herself begging in the street. Consigning someone to such a fate because someone else caught your eye was the opposite of merciful and just.

While modern divorce does not generally result in such extreme circumstances, it is always unfortunate. Society expects (insists?) divorcing parties to be antagonistic, or even vindictive. Yet as we do in all situations, we have the choice to act with integrity. For ourselves and our children, we should do our best to remember the other person is a beloved child of God, whom we once professed to love as well.

Integrity requires us to approach every potential relationship with respect. People don’t exist just to fulfill our temporary whims, needs, and desires. Before entering relationships, we are wise to be self-aware and transparent about how willing we are to commit. Half-hearted attempts to keep a marriage or friendship alive can be devastating to someone giving it their all and expecting we are doing the same.

Relationships of all kinds can strain and break, but as members of the body of Christ we remain united at some level. Even when we can’t stand each other – maybe especially then – the route of mercy and justice leads us home to wholeness.

Additional Reading:
For more thoughts on today’s reading from Mark, see Flip.
For reflection on today’s passage from Acts, see Horse Sense.

Comfort: You deserve to have healthy relationships. 

Challenge: Be wise about your commitments to people; mean what you say and say what you mean.

Prayer: How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity! Teach me O LORD to make peace in my home. Amen. (based on Psalm 133:1)

Discussion: Some of us have many relationships of some depth, and others have a few relationships of great depth. Both are fine as long as we are honest about them. Which option are you prone to?

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House of Cards

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 5; 145, 2 Samuel 13:23-39, Acts 20:17-38, Mark 9:42-50

We are a nation built on a house of credit cards.

Buy now, pay later. Ninety days same as cash. Getting what we want when we want it seems great, but the people who market credit to us (and it’s a product, not a favor) make more money when we can’t pay them back right away. It’s not called interest for nothing. Middle class households easily overextend themselves into bankruptcy, and between interest and fees poorer people borrow their way right into modern indentured servitude.

Delayed payments are always the most expensive.

It’s difficult to say whether David learned this lesson the hard way, or not at all. When David’s first-born son Amnon raped his half-sister Tamar, David was angry but did nothing because he loved Amnon. Tamar’s full brother Absalom spent two years plotting his revenge on Amnon. He invited all the king’s sons to a feast, and when Amnon was “merry with wine” he ordered his servants to strike Amnon dead. Afterward Absalom fled. It was three more years before he would reunite with his family, but even then the rift between them grew ever worse.

When we sin against others – as individuals, as families, as cultures, or as nations – we don’t do ourselves any favors by delaying payment in the form of repentance. Even if it seems we got away with it, the undercurrent is waiting to drag us down. Especially when it comes to past societal sins, we might want people to just “get over it” … but David could have told you how well that works.

If we sin at an individual level – abuse, neglect, greed, deception – we need to make individual repentance. If we sin at a societal level – systemic oppression, environmental devastation – we need to make repentance at a societal level. That can be tough pill to swallow, because we don’t always feel individually responsible. Yet scripture tells us time and again individuals rise and fall with their communities, regardless of personal culpability. That’s a pretty good reason to participate in the conscience of your community before the cards come due and tumble down.

Additional Reading:
For thoughts on today’s reading from Mark, see There is no eye in team Jesus.

Comfort: Repentance will set you free. 

Challenge: When repentance seems unfair, remember it is not about guilt, but healing.

Prayer: But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, so that those who love your name may exult in you. (Psalm 5:11)

Discussion: How do you feel about cleaning up messes you didn’t personally make?

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Tamar, today.

/ JJS / Leave a comment

scarletgesture

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 103; 150, 2 Samuel 13:1-22, Romans 15:1-13, John 3:22-36

The story of David’s sister Tamar is a tragic one. Her half-brother Amnon,  who perversely lusted for her, pretended to be ill and tricked her into his bedchamber, supposedly to care for him. When Tamar realized his intentions, she begged him not to force himself upon her, calling it a vile act and asking, “where could I carry my shame?”

Her shame? Tamar was victimized twice.

Amnon’s guilt immediately caused him to loathe and discard her. Her brother Absalom meant well and took her in but even his words robbed her of dignity: “Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart.” While she remained a “desolate woman” in Absalom’s home, Amnon remained unpunished because David loved him.

The real shame is not hearing Tamar’s point of view. It’s her story, but she’s little more than a prop.

If only this tale was an example of barbarism relegated to the past; victim-blaming is all-too-real and all-too-current. Defense attorneys try to discredit sexual assault victims by shaming them for common behaviors and dress. Cherished institutions offer (and beleaguered families accept) settlements which teach abused children the fair market value of their souls. In families, the abused are taught the family’s “good” name is more important than their truth. When groups who have been oppressed for centuries gain a legal toehold and dare to point out the ongoing need for justice work, they are dismissed for playing the “victim card.”

The lack of consequences for Amnon’s sin had devastating, long-lasting repercussions within the family. When the powerful – or their enablers – silence those they abuse in the name of “keeping the peace” all they’re really keeping is power. Others pay the price. For a while.

When we ask ourselves “What would Jesus do?” the right answer is never “sweep it under the rug.” People like Tamar should be able to carry their shame right into the midst of Christ’s disciples and exchange it for love and solace. The greater good is not built from the top down, but ground up … one mended soul at a time.

Additional Reading:
For thoughts on today’s reading from Romans, see Building the Neighborhood.
For thoughts on today’s passage from John, see Decrease to Increase.

Comfort: Everyone’s story matters to God. 

Challenge: When you encounter examples of victim-blaming, speak up.

Prayer: Read all of Psalm 139.

Discussion: When have you been unjustly silenced?

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Say a little prayer for you.

/ JJS / 2 Comments

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 63; 149, 2 Samuel 12:15-31, Acts 20:1-16, Mark 9:30-41

Because David and Bathsheba’s child was conceived in treachery, murder, and ingratitude for all the Lord had given him, the Lord told David the child would not be permitted to live. For a week David fasted, wept, and pleaded. Afterward he returned to his normal routine. His servants, confused that he seemed less grief-stricken than before, asked what was going on.

He said, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me, and the child may live.’ But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.”

That’s … practical. And there’s something to be said for being able to make peace with things the way they are. It’s also admirable that David took time to worship when his vigil ended; he wouldn’t have been the first or last person to reject God in disappointment.

But still. Where were his prayers when he was tempted to chase Bathsheba in the first place?

It’s not like David wasn’t a prayerful man – he’s credited with seventy-three of the psalms. However like many of us, he seemed to believe that when we want something, it’s better to beg forgiveness than ask permission. Have you ever had (or perhaps been) that friend or family member who asks for advice except for when they’ve already made up their mind to do the wrong thing? They (or we) frequently aren’t as hesitant to ask for help or sympathy cleaning up the inevitable mess.

Writer Anne LaMott characterizes her favorite prayers as “Help, Thanks, Wow.” It’s important not to think of them as three discrete prayers triggered by different events. Had David been consistently grateful and seeking God’s guidance, he might have been better prepared to handle the sight of Bathsheba’s beauty without succumbing to his lust.

It’s our everyday relationship with God that prepares us for life’s more extraordinary circumstances. If we turn our hearts over to God before the mess begins, we may avoid it entirely.

Additional Reading:
For thoughts on today’s reading from Acts, see The Ledge.
For thoughts on today’s passage from Mark, see Career Advice.

Comfort: We’re going to make mistakes, and God will see us through. 

Challenge: Let’s at least try to make them faithfully, though. If you don’t have a regular prayer routine, find one that works for you.

Prayer: O God, you are my God, I seek you, my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1)

Discussion: By the end of today’s passage from Samuel, David and Bathsheba have moved on and had another child whom God loved. How do you think people who have done terrible things find the strength and love of God to bounce back from them?

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You are the man!

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davidandnathan

David and Nathan, Jacob Backer

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 84; 148, 2 Samuel 12:1-14, Acts 19:21-41, Mark 9:14-29

After David arranged for the death of his loyal soldier Uriah to steal Uriah’s wife, the prophet Nathan dropped by for a visit and told the story of a rich many with many flocks and herds, and a poor man with a single, dearly treasured ewe. The rich man does not want to slaughter any of his own sheep to feed an unexpected guest, so he takes the poor man’s ewe. An infuriated David, interpreting this story literally, declares, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die!”

Nathan responds, “You are the man!”

Now Nathan’s story isn’t long, but we aren’t far in before wondering at what point David is going to realize it’s a parable about himself. Yet somehow he needs to be bludgeoned with the obvious.

This event illustrates the folk wisdom that traits we dislike in other people are actually traits we dislike about ourselves. David doesn’t seem conscious of this, but wouldn’t a man after God’s heart have to know on some level how badly he’d messed up? Powerful stories hold a mirror up to our own experiences, so our reactions to them teach us a lot about ourselves.

In modern parlance “You are the man!” often has a more positive connotation. We say it when someone helps us out or impresses us. Is it possible that, just as we may subconsciously see our weaknesses in others and in stories, we may also unwittingly recognize some of our better qualities? Maybe the kick-butt sci-fi heroine fans the tiny spark of holy rebel inside us. Or perhaps we admire our friend who spends her Saturdays at the food bank because it reminds us of the generosity we are capable of.

Only a minuscule fraction of what happens in the world is actually about us, but it all has something to teach us. When we learn to recognize our commonalities, we are less likely to do things like … say … murder a friend to bed his wife. Or ignore those in need.

If someone tells you, “You are the man!” … which will it mean?

Additional Reading:
For thoughts on today’s reading from Acts, see Threats Both Foreign and Domestic.

Comfort: None of us are perfect; God loves and uses us anyway.

Challenge: Meditate on what your favorite books or movies might teach you about yourself.

Prayer: Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth, and teach me. (Psalm 25:4-5)

Discussion: If the phrase was “You are the woman!” would you find that more, less, or equally relatable? Why?

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Anointed, Appointed, and Appalling.

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david_uria_brief_grt

David hands the Letter to Uriah, Pieter Lastman ca. 1583 – 1633

Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 116; 147:12-20, 2 Samuel 11:1-27, Acts 19:11-20, Mark 9:2-13

While we are one body, Christians disagree on many subjects. One of the more controversial topics is the nature of God’s will. Over the centuries the finer points of this argument have divided the church many times. Some of us believe God directly controls the universe down to its subatomic components. Others believe God exerts minimal influence over the creation. Most of us land somewhere in the middle, influenced by – but often uninformed on the specifics of – whatever denomination (or non-denomination) we belong to.

In the United States few things highlight the arguments about God’s will – as well as people’s inconsistencies in embracing and defending  those arguments – like the election of a president. When we like the person who is elected, it’s God’s will. When we don’t like the person, it’s a subversion of God’s will. And some of us accept either (or neither) result as God’s will.

Whichever camp we call home, we ought to agree on one thing: just because someone is chosen by God doesn’t mean they will be righteous in all they do.

King David had everything he could have wanted, but when he saw Bathsheba, the wife of his soldier Uriah, he decided he wanted her too. When David impregnated her while Uriah was away at war, he conspired first to trick Uriah into sleeping with her so the solider might believe the child was his own, then to maneuver Uriah into a vulnerable position in battle so he would be killed.

David was anointed by God. David was appointed King of Israel. David was appalling in his behavior.

The evil he did to Uriah was not God’s will – to the contrary, it angered God. Not only did Uriah die, but so did many other soldiers whom David either didn’t consider or didn’t mind sacrificing (and given his considerable strategic skills, it was probably the latter).

Great power amplifies both our virtues and flaws.  Accepting a monarch, president, or other leader does not mean accepting and defending everything they do. God’s will may be inscrutable, but Christ’s teachings will always help us find the way.

Additional Reading:
For thoughts on today’s reading from Acts, see Just One Bite.

Comfort: God does not will evil.

Challenge: Read a little about predestination and Arminianism.

Prayer: I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope. (Psalm 130:5)

Discussion: What do you think of when you hear the phrase “God’s will?”

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Cross Training

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Today’s readings (click below to open in new tab/window):
Psalms 96; 147:1-11, 2 Samuel 9:1-13, Acts 19:1-10, Mark 8:34-9:1

“If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.”

These words highlight a turning point in Christ’s ministry. All the miraculous healings and signs are revealed to be part of a bigger picture in which anyone who wanted to follow him needed to be willing to share in the sacrifice.

This talk of the cross wouldn’t have had any of the redemptive connotations we associate with it today thanks to our clear hindsight about the resurrection. It would be more like being asked to accompany him to the electric chair or the gallows. The crosses we wear today as jewelry or hang as decorations would have been horrifyingly morbid.

Have time and the marketing of Christianity diminished our sense of the cross in the western world? “Having a cross to bear” usually refers to some personal ailment or struggle, unconnected to any greater salvific purpose. In a predominantly Christian society (about seventy-five percent according to a December 2015 Gallup poll), our faith is hardly risky despite our efforts to spin holiday greetings into a crisis. In a culture where it’s possible to legislatively force others to observe our own values, we are rather more likely to be builders of the cross than its bearers; the dictators rather than the risk-takers.

Picking up the cross represents willingness to sacrifice everything to follow Christ and love God. For most of us it’s not lifted overhead in a single clean-and-jerk motion, but through a lifetime of spiritual exercise. These words marked the end of disciple boot camp, the end of being toy Christian soldiers, and the beginning of putting that training to use. We train not to be the kind of soldiers who kill for a cause, but who will die for it. When we surrender to the weight of the cross, the demanding yoke is made easy, the difficult burden made light.

Comfort: Giving up your life sounds scary, but it’s liberating.

Challenge: Pay attention for crosses. When you see them, reflect on what they represent.

Prayer: Gracious God, give me the strength to let go of all that might stand between me and you.

Discussion: Other than the cross, what Christian symbols are meaningful to you and why?

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