Uneasy Rider

No pain, no gain. It’s true at the gym, and it’s a tenet of the Christian faith. John Grayston, writing for Scripture Union, puts it bluntly:

We cannot expect universal approval or an easy ride…suffering is part of our calling as servants of God (1 Peter 2:21). The love which we pour out will not always be returned. Pain is caused not only by those whom we would expect to be our opponents, but also by those whom we might expect to stand with us.

Effective ministry will always be conducted from a position of weakness. There is no other way, for this was Christ's way and it is his example that we follow. Our ministry, like his, is always service. We look, in the words of Ignatius Loyola, for "no reward, save that of knowing that we do Thy will."

This goes against human nature and the spirit of our age. It is hard.

Father,

I grumble about hostility toward the things of faith in our country, but it doesn’t begin to compare to this stat: 200 million Christians in thirty-five countries are persecuted.

And I experience some Biblical whiplash reading 2nd Corinthians. Paul is not one to sugarcoat the faithful life:

…as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way…in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger.

(from 2nd Corinthians 6:4-5)

Lord Christ, my ride is pretty smooth. For that I am thankful, but I probably spend too much time on the path of least resistance. That is not your way.

When I encounter turbulence inspire my response with your example and the words of St. Paul. Despite his candor, the glass is better than half full:

In your Holy Spirit, even in sorrow, we will find rejoicing…and purity, understanding, patience and kindness…sincere love…the power of God. (from 2nd Corinthians 6:6-10)

Amen.

Art credit: White Crucifixion by Marc Chagall (1938)

Christ, Conquest & Church

Lord Christ,

Let us be clear about your declaration to the Jewish authorities.

They asked:
Are you God’s anointed one?

And you answered:
I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of power and coming with the clouds of heaven. (Mark 14:61-62)

It’s a declaration you made to the church, not to the government.

Maybe we are misguided to mark history solely by political movements and governments, by conquerors and conquests.

Because across history, the Church (however imperfect it may be) is your chosen instrument of global redemption.

Jesus, you conquered sin and death, and your conquest across generations is the human heart.

Include me, Lord Christ, in that great movement. How can I serve your church today? Amen.

Photo credit

Propelled by the Spirit

Lord,

It isn’t lost on me that Acts of the Apostles commences with your Spirit. I note the significance.

The Holy Spirit: Hard to define. Difficult to pin down. But like the wind, we can hear it. We can feel it.

Whatever the Biblical image or metaphor - wind, fire, water, dove - I pray for a full measure of the Holy Spirit…infusing every aspect of my life, propelling my faith and faithful witness.

Lord Christ, let me hear it. Allow me to feel it…that I may act. Dare I ask, that I might act as an Apostle! Amen.

Maybe this is a glimpse of the Holy Spirit:

A Cook pine ablaze in the Kapalua sunset on Maui, Hawaii

Graphic credit

Ancient Kings - Modern Mistakes

Holy Father,

I’ve been reading through 2nd Kings, and I see a troubling pattern from one king’s reign to another. As Scripture puts it:

They did not turn away from their sins…

They followed detestable ways…

They did not do what was right in the eyes of God.

That was 2800 years ago, and I tend to think of those folks as warring primitives. Are we any better? Could we be worse? So much distracts and blocks our wholehearted allegiance to you.

We, however, have a distinct advantage. You sent your Son to give us what the Hebrew kings could never provide: Your grace and sanctification…reshaping our attitudes and actions.

Lord Christ, I want you to be first in my life that I may love you with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my mind. (Matthew 22:37) You are my King!

Holy Spirit, I need your help…to turn away from sin, from detestable ways, to do what is right in the eyes of God. Amen.

Illustration credit

Jeremiah's Anguish

Nature, faith, life…they are replete with contrast, contradiction, paradox. This photo speaks to the contrasts - the edge of a storm on an otherwise sun-filled day. It sort of captures the tension between darkness and light. One of the most puzzling Biblical contrasts for me is God’s love and wrath. The photo was taken - quite appropriately - at a Caribbean spot called Grace Bay. And where theological explanations prove elusive, I must rely on grace! Pray with me…

Great and Holy God,

I have been trudging through a study of Jeremiah. It is so threatening and depressing, so counter to my understanding of your love.

You know my heart; you know I am having great difficulty squaring your boundless love with your Biblically presented “wrath.”

I’m so convinced that the message of love, forgiveness, healing, guidance and protection is your lead story. But I don’t want to stumble into a “relaxed fit,” new age theology.

Jeremiah reminds me that just as you set before us “the way of life” so the opposite must exist - the way of death. (Jeremiah 21:8) There must be some sort of judgment or consequence for the unrepentant. For those who disrespect you. For those who wantonly refuse to follow.

In my confusion, help me to focus on your holiness, to honor your call to obedience, to seek your mercy, to cling to that nugget of hope in Jeremiah 17:

"…blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

May I become that man - through the grace of Jesus Christ and the power of his Holy Spirit. Amen.

Photo: Grace Bay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos

Patience

Thank you, God, for your wisdom…found in the Proverbs:

A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man displays folly.

(Proverbs 14:29)

A hot-tempered man stirs up dissension, but a patient man calms a quarrel. (Proverbs 15:18)

Father, I noticed that The Message translation replaces the word patience with slowness to anger and a calm, cool spirit.

And St. Paul, in his letters, bookends patience with understanding, kindness, peace, endurance and humility.

Lord Christ, this is all quite elusive. As Fruits of the Spirit go, patience has been slow to ripen for me…or maybe it has just shriveled up.

What are the underpinnings of impatience? Selfishness? Fear? High anxiety/low trust?

Holy Spirit, make listening my default. Give me greater trust in your guiding hand. I need an infusion of calm and cool. Amen.

Photo credit

Taming the Tongue

Words of counsel for the workplace from the Apostle James:

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke… (James 3:5-6, The Message)

Lord Christ, my tongue can be a problem at work. In modern parlance, it’s a lack of discretion, sensitivity or decorum; sometimes sarcasm; sometimes gossip.

Holy Spirit, I need an assist...to be mindful of my speech; to be more thoughtful about my audience; to engage my brain before opening my mouth; and to internalize this Proverb:

Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief. (Proverbs 21:23, The Message)

Amen.

Photo credit