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“But he said to them: ‘Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe'” John 20:25
“Then He said to Thomas: ‘Put your finger here; see may hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.'” John 20:27
“Then Jesus told him: ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed, blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'” John 20:29
SHOW ME THE DATA!! FOLLOW THE SCIENCE!! GIVE ME THE PROOF, THEN I WILL BELIEVE YOU!!!! These kinds of statements and many more like them are being bandied about, shouted at one another, used as a pretext for non-actions and the justification for other actions.
In a way it is not surprising in this instant Wiki-info world, where “facts” and data are just a few key strokes away, that the general public is less inclined to take declaratory statements at their face value. The fact that you’re reading this on some device means that you’ve also probably used that device to search for some recipe, some process like how to get your device working again or better, some aspect about that reoccurring pain in your body or some historical event you and someone are having a disagreement about. Why should I completely trust you if I can so easily look up the information myself. As a part of an “older” generation; it is not uncommon for us to look down on or speak disapprovingly of “younger” generations. However, I’m not so sure that our “higher” level of trust and respect of and for experts had as much to do with some virtue as it did the difficulty and time involved in researching all but the most obvious topics (i.e. needing a dictionary, encyclopedia or even library).
However, needing proof to accept and believe in something is not a new phenomena. Let’s take the disciple Thomas for example. Now understand that Thomas was not someone who had come to experience Jesus, briefly before Jesus’s death and resurrection. Thomas had been with Jesus throughout His ministry. Thomas had seen Jesus heal the sick, feed thousands, quiet the storm and even raise Lazarus from the grave. Thomas was the disciple who said to the rest of the disciples that they should accompany Jesus and die with Him when Jesus declared He was going to back to Judea (John 11:16)
Thomas had been through incredible times with Jesus and his brethren disciples. Thomas had been told by Mary, that Jesus had indeed risen from the grave and was alive, the third day after His crucifiction (although to be fair to Thomas, the other disciples didn’t believe Mary, at that time either). Now Thomas was confronted with testimony from 10 of his closest companions, that Jesus had risen from the dead; is not just some spirit but an actual, living in the flesh, being. And yet, Thomas did not believe them. Thomas needed proof. Testimony, no matter how credible; wasn’t going to cut it. For Thomas, seeing, touching was the only proof that would bring about his belief.
Now please Sisters and Brothers understand, this is not some sort of bad-Thomas, judgement story. As stated above, none of the disciples believed Mary, even after John and Peter found the tomb empty; until Jesus appeared in their midst (sans Thomas). Would Nathanial or James believed if either or both of them had also been missing? AND, I’m not so sure I’d been jumping up and down hallelujahing versus being mighty skeptical had I missed the glorious meeting.
Now let’s cut to the chase. It’s several thousand years later; dear Sisters and Brothers, is Jesus Christ alive today? Am I living, behaving, praising, praying and most importantly loving, as if Jesus Christ is as present here at this time as He was in Galilei? Jesus Christ declared that He would rise and indeed did rise from the grave. Through scripture we are told that Jesus Christ now resides at the Right Hand or Our Heavenly Father. The Holy Spirit is sent to us to testify to the current, vital life of Jesus Christ and the blessings that come from it. Do we believe? If we question, what proof do we need? What do I need to see, hear or touch?
I can hear you: “Come On! We’ve got wars every where we turn, pandemics, hatred, famines! From what I see, hear and experience, how can I be certain that if alive, that Jesus Christ’s being alive really maters?” Jesus Christ warned us; there would be manmade disasters (wars and such) and natural disasters. Yet Jesus also told us that; because of Him and His being alive, we can have peace in Him. Jesus declared as He has overcome the world, that should we believe and abide in Him, He will never forsake us and allow us to great things, even greater than He did.
I also hear you when you say and ask: ” I believe Jesus Christ lives. But, what am I supposed to say, supposed to do, to answer to others who don’t believe and require proof of God and Jesus? How do I prove it to them?” Jesus had/has an answer there too. He told us not to be afraid or worry about what we are to say when asked to defend our faith. Jesus told us the Holy Spirit will supply us with what to say. Additionally, Jesus made it clear; we’re not to be in the business of proving His existence. We are to live lives of love, proclaiming the risen Lord and that is enough.
Finally, something to consider. Jesus Christ did come to Thomas. When Jesus came to Thomas, He didn’t curse Thomas or cast him away for his unbelief. Hardly, instead Jesus, in mercy, allowed the proof that Thomas needed. And Thomas did end up believing and serving.
Jesus Christ is alive. Let it be that you and I Dear Sisters and Brothers find ourselves among those who Jesus declared blessed; that we do truly believe in the earthly life, death, resurrection and continued life of Jesus Christ, even though we have yet to see Him. And in that blessing, live lives that bring praise and glory to the Name of Our Heavenly Father.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we understand that we live in a world where now most everything is open to debate and requests for proof to believe are everywhere, even proof of Your existence and that of Your Son Jesus Christ. Forgive us Merciful Father when we too find ourselves questioning our faith and Your relevance/power in this world. Through Your Holy Spirit, Dear Father, fill us, strengthen us, calm us; allow us to abide in Your Living Son, that there we might find that certain confident faith. Through Jesus Christ, let us be beacons of Your light, hope and love that will show others the path that leads to belief and life in You. We thank You, Creator God for Your patient mercy with us, Your creation, that You would fill us with Your steadfast love which is all the proof that will ever be needed. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
“Jesus answered: ‘I am the way and the truth and the life’. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” John 14:6
“Then you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” John 8:32
“Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have the power either to free you or to crucify you?” John 19:10
“‘What is truth’, retorted Pilate'” John 18:38
Truth – a judgement, proposition or idea that is true or accepted as true. Merriam-Webster
I was watching a news/commentary show the other day and several people were discussing aspects of current events and utilizing the words truth and facts and interjecting them into the discourse synonymously. Even as the discussion was taking place, it was clear that the panel engaged in the discussion believed that they were making their points on the basis of truth. In addition the “truths” they were basing their points on were not shared or in agreement.
It got me to thinking about how much conflict there is these days over our differing truths. The truth is this happened during the 2020 election or this did not. The truth is this vaccine will end the pandemic and the truth is the vaccine is dangerous and doesn’t work. On and on we, not only have different truths, but we are willing to go to the greatest lengths to defend our truths and destroy any truth we find in conflict. So I wondered; just what is expected of us when we come up against “other truths”, especially those truths which are demonstrably false?
Let’s look at Jesus. While Jesus was on earth, He certainly dealt with disparate truths. Pontius Pilate had a truth that the Empire of Rome was the greatest power in the world. There is nothing in scripture concerning Pilate’s faith in Roman gods but he certainly had faith in the power of Rome and how that power translated to his power to deal with Jesus. The Jewish leadership had a truth that Jesus could not be the promised Messiah. Jesus was a self serving fraud from Nazareth who was trying to steal power and lead the people astray. A Samaritan woman had a truth that a Jewish man would never talk to a Samaritan women, especially one unaccompanied and ask her for a drink. There were many other “truths” during the time of Jesus and about Jesus.
Yet Jesus was the only One to have the real, total truth. Jesus knew the total truth about the Father because Jesus was the Only Begotten Son. Jesus was the only One who knew the truth about Father’s plan for salvation. Jesus was the only One to know that complete truth that would set the captive free. Jesus knew that He was the truth.
So Jesus is God on Earth and is the only one who has the real, accurate truth. How does he handle all these false-truths and those who are purveying them? You might think, as God, He would completely wipe away any false-truth and utterly destroy they who were spreading that false-truth. Jesus certainly had the power to do just that. However, Jesus didn’t. Jesus confronted the false-truths wherever He came across them. Jesus did not change His truth to make it more palatable, less confrontational for people.
But really notice what Jesus did and instructed should be done. When Jesus sent His disciples out to teach the truth, if a place didn’t accept the truth or wanted to espouse a different truth, Jesus instructed His disciples to simply, walk away. Jesus, Himself, confronted and refuted the false-truths but took no revenge on those who were spreading them.
It is probable that Pilate went to his death continuing to believe that Rome was the highest power that existed. We know that the Jewish leadership continued to believe that Jesus was not the Messiah and that they were more powerful than Jesus’s believers.
So what did Jesus command? He commanded to go forth and preach the truth; tell the Good News. That’s it. Don’t change the truth if it’s not received. However, also don’t attack those who don’t accept the News and are living by a different truth. Just walk on and continue to spread the Good News in other places. If Jesus, Himself was not going to destroy those who had a different truth and purveyed it to others; why are we so angry and feel so justified in attacking and wanting to destroy those whom we feel have a false truth?
Boy I can hear some gnashing of teeth as this is being read. Where’s the accountability? Some might be screaming. These people of the other, false-truth are getting away scott-free for all the damage they’re doing. Dear Sisters and Brothers please understand, Jesus declares that there is a terrible day of judgement coming and those who believe in and spread false-truths will have an extremely horrific judgement against them. Yet Jesus is also clear, that judgment comes from and is based on the timing of our Heavenly Father and is not something we are to be concerned with. Instead we are to be free from that anger, frustration and pain because we’re living in the Truth of Jesus Christ.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and by our Father’s grace, we are allowed to know The Truth. Then let us be about spreading that truth. Understand, God needs no defense from us. He wants us to live in peace and love, forgiving those of a false-truth and not being concerned with their judgement. It is in living and spreading the truth of Jesus Christ in a calm strength and leaving the judgement and conflict to God, that we bring glory to His most Holy Name and live the lives of peace and blessing He intends for us.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we proclaim that there is only One Truth and that Truth resides in and comes from You. We are so thankful that You chose not to hide or keep secret that Truth from us but shared that Truth, sending it in the Person of Your Son Jesus Christ, to share it with us. Forgive us Father when we are tempted to and even sometimes do turn from Your Truth, seeking or composing false-truths of our own. Also forgive us, when we seethe in anger and strike out against others and their false-truths instead of leaving that judgement and consequence to You. Let Your Truth shine in us Dear Father that through Jesus Christ we might also shine that Truth in peace and confidence to such a false-truth torn world. That in living into and sharing Your Truth, we may bring glory to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of the Truth, the Way and the Life; Jesus Christ. Amen
“Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. ‘Never, Lord’, he said. ‘This shall never happen to You!'” Matthew 16:22
“‘Lord if it is You,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.'” Matthew 14:28
“So Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask Him which one He means.'” John 13:24
“Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting of his ear.” John 18:10
“But he began to call down curses and he swore, ‘I don’t know this man you are talking about!'” Mark 14:71
“Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold, I do not have, but what I do have, I give you. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.'” Acts 3:6
Peter and his story, his walk with Jesus and his leadership in the faith after Christ’s resurrection is such a fascinating and enlightening one. For it seems to me that we see Peter’s humaneness in great detail and if we can be open to it, see our own humaneness as well and can learn from it.
Leadership – Much is made today about the need for leaders and the value of leadership. It seems to be one of the hallmark traits for greatness. When a situation arises that calls for it, a leader will step in and take charge, no matter the situation, even if it involves a superior. That’s what Peter felt called to do. Jesus, who is the Messiah, who had performed so many miracles, brought about so much good; started talking crazy. Jesus was talking about suffering horribly, even being killed and by His own people, no less. Jesus’s talking could definitely hurt the organization of the disciples and derail their mission. That talk must be stopped. So Peter, the leader, acted. He rebuked Jesus for the good of Jesus and the organization. That’s what a good leader does. And, if we’re talking a human organization then that might be appropriate. Jesus was and is God. Peter was rebuking God! Who rebukes God or stands against God? Satan does. Here’s something for us to reflect on. Have we ever told God He’s wrong? Have we looked at our circumstances in our life, experienced an unexpected answer to a prayer and thought or even in essence prayed to God saying or at least inferring, God I think you got this one wrong? There is no dual leadership with God and us. God is in charge. God is the leader, PERIOD. If we challenge that leadership, we may also receive a similar response, out of love, for our own good.
Risk Taking – Risk taking is another attribute that is often lauded today. Don’t be afraid to fail, take the risk, the greater the risk the greater the reward. Peter took a risk. To start with the situation was dicey. Night, in a small boat, far from shore, with a storm kicking up, the disciples were in a deteriorating situation. Then, they see what must be a spirit, a ghost. Nothing physical, no person can walk on water. Yet here comes what seems to be just that; a man walking on water. Jesus called out a reassurance to them not to be afraid for it was Him. Who’s the risk taker in the group? Peter. How does a man walk on water? If this is really Jesus doing this then He should be able to allow me to do it as well; Peter thinks. So he asks Jesus to allow Peter to walk on water as well. Probably, much to Peter’s surprise, Jesus agrees and calls Peter out of the boat. Talk about a reward! Peter is walking on water! Then humaneness rears its ugly head. The storm is still there. The wind is still blowing, the waves still crashing. The world takes Peter’s attention of Jesus and Peter starts to sink. We may pray for great things in our lives, things that are truly outside our comfort zone. We may believe that we are ready to fulfill them if God will only allow it. However, what about the world? What will happen when the world either through threats of storms or perhaps the glory of successes; attempts to have us take our eyes, our concentration off of God and His plan? The peace comes from knowing, because of what happened to Peter; that Jesus Christ will never let us drown should we take our concentration off Him and start to sink into the sea of worldliness.
Fear and Hesitancy – The disciples had been around Jesus enough to know; if He said it was going to happen, it was going to happen. If Jesus said 5,000 can be fed with five loaves of bread and two fish, they can. If Jesus says to a girl who is dead; arise, she will. If Jesus tells the lame to walk, the blind to see, the lepers to be healed; they are. Jesus is now saying that one of His disciples; one of His most trusted friends, is going to betray Him. Dread comes over the group. Maybe in earlier times, the disciples would have protested that Jesus was wrong; that they would never do such a thing. This night, there was only fear. It was also interesting that it was not a fear that led to finger pointing or accusations: “I bet it is Thomas or I know it is Andrew, that is something he would do”. No, each discipled feared, that because Jesus did not name the traitor, it could be any one of them. If Jesus said it, it will happen. The hesitancy comes into play with Peter in that he dearly wants to know who it is or at least that it is not him. Yet, he is hesitant to ask Jesus directly. Why? We can’t be sure. Maybe Peter thinks he won’t get an answer. Maybe Peter is afraid of another rebuke. Maybe Peter believes John is more likely to pry the answer out of Jesus than Peter is. Maybe it is that old adage: “Never ask a question you can’t stand the answer to”. In one respect, the fear the disciples feel comes from being confronted with the truth of and from Jesus. Jesus Christ is God. Therefore, what Jesus Christ says is it, period, exclamation point. We may not want to hear it, we may want to deny it, but the power of God will always win out. It is only accurate to have a fearful respect in being in the presence of that kind of power. Yet, the Power of God is always used in righteousness, justice and love. It is a power we can’t truly comprehend, but it is a power always used for the perfect good. In the face of such power, we may become hesitant to ask or even interact. If God is so powerful, what does He care about the singular me? I can’t matter to Him, so why ask. I would agree with that assessment from a human point of view, except that Jesus Christ specifically calls on us to ask. He tells us that each of us, even our hairs are numbered and important to God. Our Creator God, Father in Heaven, loves us and will answer us and will never abandon us; even if the question, let alone the answer seems scary.
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, in looking at Peter and his humaneness, it is most certainly not to judge Peter. As for me, I don’t know if I would have had the strength or courage to do any of these things let a lone not make the errors that Peter did. No, we look at Peter to reflect on Peter, to learn through Peter. We look at Peter to ask ourselves about our own humaneness and how it is impacting our relationship with our Heavenly Father. It is to also understand the Great Grace and Miracle that our Savior knows about humaneness because He came to this earth and became completely human as well as completely God. That Jesus Christ took upon Himself the sins of our humaneness that we might come and abide in Him, through His perfection. Praise be to God and thanksgiving for Peter, for what we can learn from him and that God has a plan for each of us, just as He did for Peter.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we are so thankful, for Your word and how it teaches us about Your Loving, Perfect Nature. We give thanks for servants, past and present, like Peter who answered Your call and gave so much of themselves, even with their humaneness and frailties that we all share. Forgive us when we allow our human traits to take our focus off You and supersede Your direction for us with our own. Like with Peter, instruct us, save us, answer us and moreover love us that in Your Mercy, we can always return to You. That in Your instructing, saving, answering and loving us, we may become servants who share Your Love with this needy world and bring praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest” Luke 12:16
“This is what I’ll do. I’ll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink and be merry.” Luke 12:18,19
“But God said to him: ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.” Luke 12:20
So as we look at the final installment of the Servant Sower and Soil, I ask your indulgence. For in the past two posts, I’ve used the parable of the Sower in the Gospels of Mark and Luke (Matthew also chronicles the parable). However to finish our reflection I’ve brought in another parable which I think is also particularly applicable; the parable called the The Rich Fool.
We’ve looked at the need for, the responsibilities of, along with as well as the blessings associated with being the sower. Next we contemplated the states of the four soils and how they may change over time. Yet a sower sowers and when a soil accepts the seed, there is an expectation of produce. We saw how we can play the role of the sower, also that we may find ourselves in the state of one of the soils, additionally we’ll discuss here how we interact with the produce that comes with the process. For remember the “good” soil does produce, some thirty, some sixty and some a hundred fold.
Thus Jesus tells a parable concerning a person whose soil has produced abundantly and how important it is that we handle that abundance appropriately. Forgive me as I mix the parables somewhat. For in this case, Jesus is not starting out by saying that this particular abundance was produced by the seed which is the Word of God. However, Jesus makes clear in his teaching that all blessed abundance is a gift from God.
In this case, the person receiving the abundant harvest is already rich. The fact that this rich man already has barns to store his harvest shows us that this is not his first time sowing, growing and harvesting. Seemingly, he has already done well in this regard. Yet still he receives an even greater abundance in a harvest. He thinks, I have not enough room to store this greater abundant harvest; what should I do? I already have barns. Those barns already have a capacity to store, but not enough. His answer; I will tear down those existing barns which have been adequate for me to become as rich as I am so I can build even bigger ones to become that much richer. Then I can use all that wealth for myself to have a life of self indulgent leisure. What the man doesn’t know about, what none of us know about is the timing of God calling us to leave this life. For all his effort, the rich man never gets to experience the fruits of his inward focused plan. Jesus declares that God calls this man “You Fool!”
But wait! What was the man to do? After all he was already successful and knew how to become that way. This was his land, his soil. He had decided to sow the seed. He had seen to the harvest. Wasn’t he entitled to keep the harvest? What if “someday” a famine came? In the telling of the parable, Jesus doesn’t seem to imply that the man cheated in getting the harvest or treated those who would do the demolition and rebuilding of the new barns wickedly. Wouldn’t we want to keep the abundance that God might be so gracious to bless us with? Wouldn’t we want to enjoy it perhaps believing we deserved the “better” life the abundance provided? The world would have a retort to God. The world would say the man was not a fool but was wise. The world would say God was in the wrong for having this man’s life end. The fault is not with the man, but with God would be the claim.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, going back to the Parable of the Sower, we may indeed find ourselves blessed in the sowing. We may also find ourselves, by the Grace of God, being able to receive the seed of His Word and finding that it brings about an abundant produce in us, thirty, sixty or even a hundred fold. We may find that abundance in an aspect of being able to love with great abundance, to forgive unconditionally, we may have abundant talents of speaking, writing and/or listening. The grace of our soil may even allow material abundance of money or certain possessions. The question for us, as it was for the rich man in the parable, is what to do with that abundance? Is the abundance just for us to use as we see fit?
Am I anti-saving? No. When God warned of a devastating famine that was going to affect much of the middle eastern world, He had raised Joseph to the exalted position of high advisor to the Pharaoh of Egypt just so that Joseph could store the God given abundance of harvests in advance of the harvest. When the famine struck, God’s chosen people traveled to Egypt and were saved by God’s plan. Later, when the Jews left Egypt and were crossing the wilderness, God gave them mana and quail to eat. God required that the people collect enough mana and quail on the day before the Sabbath for two days, so they could rest from their labor on Sabbath and keep it holy. It might be wise to note that some tried to store up several days of mana and quail on other days than God commanded and that extra mana rotted before it could be consumed. When God says save; he supplies the abundance to be able to save with.
Yet in the above parable, there was no warning of impending famine. The man was already rich. Yet when faced with even greater abundance; his first thought, his only thought was that of his own selfish, greedy pleasure. Isn’t it very possible, that there were others that were not as fortunate where that excess grain could have gone? Is there any indication that the man thought beyond himself and his own comfort?
Again Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, let us go back to the Parable of the Sower. Remember, out of the four soils, three of them are hindered in producing with two probably not producing at all. That’s a tremendous amount of non production. In the so oft quoted and wonderfully supportive statement of Jesus Christ in John 3:16, Jesus doesn’t say: for God so loved only the Jews, or for God so loved only those who first love Him, or for God so loved the righteous, that He sent His Only Begotten Son. No, Jesus proclaims: “For God so loved THE WORLD.. If so much of the world is not, can not produce; how might God be able to still show His love for them, provide in some way for them. Maybe, just maybe, God will be looking for that “good soil” producing such an abundance that not only is there enough for that “good soil” but plenty left over to share with those who are struggling and trying to find their way to God. Perhaps by God using this good soil to spread His abundance in a nonjudgmental manner, He can show them how His Grace and Welcoming love works.
As we sow, let us remember it is by the Grace of God that we are called to do so and it is His Word which we are spreading. Let us pray for His Generous Grace that we might find ourselves in the position of being a “good soil” of abundant produce. Finally, let us look beyond ourselves, looking especially to Him, that should we come into abundance, whatever it might be, that we look to others, especially the lost and down trodden as a place to spread that abundance. That in the Spirit of Christ, we look out, not in some hesitant, guilt driven way, but in the joy and desire in helping way. That being the selfless, generous sharers of abundance, we would feel His declaration of “well done by good and faithful servant”, bringing praise to His Most Holy Name.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we proclaim and are thankful for that all blessed abundance comes from Your wonderful Grace. We thank you for the many frequent times You have seen fit to allow Your Seed to produce fruitfully in us. Forgive us when we stray into the prideful, selfish realm of believing the abundance is based on our talents and should only be used for us as we see fit. Pour out Your Spirit upon us allowing us to have a generous, joyous giving nature, that we would seek out those in need to share our God given abundance with. That abiding in Your Son Jesus Christ, we would be sowers, be the good soil which produces and sharers of Your abundant love bringing glory to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
“Seed along the path…….Satan comes and takes away” Mark 4:15
“Seed sown in rocky places…..when trouble and persecution comes because of the world, they quickly fall away” Mark 4:16
“Sown among thorns……worries of this life, deceitfulness of wealth and desires for other things, choke the word” Mark 4:18-19
Sown on good soil….hear the word and accept it, produce a crop – some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown” Mark 4:20
As we continue to reflect on Jesus’s first parable; the Parable of the Sower, in the past post we concentrated on the sower of the seed. In this post we are going to reflect on the four soils. Jesus, as He so perfectly does, being God, explains the nature of the differences of the four soils and I would not be able to illuminate any further the individual characteristics of the four soils. Where I think there is value is to to reflect on some of the overall characteristics and lessons of all the soils together.
Let’s start out by pondering the idea of these soil conditions over time. In Jesus’s parable the farmer goes out to sow the seed and at that particular time of sowing, he finds four soil conditions, hard path, rocky, thorn filled and good/productive. Yet a farmer sows seed more than just one time, there is often more than just one season. So does the farmer skip the other soils in future and only sow the seed in a quarter of the soils? Can the soils ever change? Can the good soil become diminished?
To answer those questions, let’s look at two biblical examples. First let’s look at a young man named Saul. Now here we’re talking about the Saul of the New Testament, of the Book of Acts and beyond, not the Israelite King Saul. This young Saul lived at the time of Jesus Christ. He heard the Word of Jesus, if not personally preached by Jesus, at least by Jesus’s disciples. How do we know? Because Saul was there when Stephen, who was chosen to replace Judas was martyred by the crowd for preaching the life, death and ressurection of Jesus Christ. Saul helped to support Stephen’s stoning by looking after the perpetrators’ belongings as they carried out their deed. The word Saul heard, the seed Saul received would have appeared to land on a very hard path, immediately taken away by Satan. Saul would go on to become a leader in persecuting Christ’s followers in the very early period.
If Saul’s soil was not able to change, we might only know him as a lessor actor in opposition of Christ in the guise of Caiaphas or Pontius Pilot. However, on the way to Damascus, Saul’s soil was obviously changed by an encounter by non other than Jesus Christ, Himself. By the Power and Grace of Jesus Christ, the Seed/Word was able to travel deep into Saul. Thus Saul who became Paul went on to be one of the most prolific producer’s for early Christian churches and theology in history. So it is evident that soils can change. What does that mean for us who might be sowers? It means we should not be judges of the condition of “a soil”, of a person’s perceived receptiveness to the word. We can not truly know what is in another’s heart and thus should be faithful to Christ in sowing the Word and let Christ’s Grace abound.
Let’s take a look at a “generating soil”. King David, of the Old Testament surely seemed to be a producing soil. Being zealous about faithfulness to God versus worried about personal safety, he slew the great warrior Goliath with just a sling and stones. David won great battles with his faith in God and increased amazing power for the Israelites and their treasured city Jerusalem. Yet David was King and a man. He let the earthly power of an earthly man-king grow thorns in his field. He saw a lovely woman who was a bride of another, bathing and he wanted her. David took another man’s wife and then hatched a plan to have the man killed when it appeared that David’s misdeed would come to light. The lust of someone forbidden, the fear of having a crime found out; they seem to be aspects of thorns which grew into David’s productive soil. Understand this is not some holier-than-thou judgement about David, it is a cautionary example to all of us that the thorns of life can come at us from so many different directions at a time we least expect and our soil can become diminished and or production limited if not stopped altogether. At times the thorns may come from a tragic event or energy, sometimes it’s from the pride of success and achievement.
One last element I would like for us to consider. In three of the four states of the soil, their lack of production is a direct result of the activity of the enemy. In the first soil mentioned, Satan is identified by name as the one who takes the seed. Yet in the second soil, persecution is a tactic of the enemy. It is the act of attacking the people of God by those arrayed against God, or the enemy. Finally, the thorns discussed in relation to the third soil are worldly cares and circumstances. The prince of the worldly aspects of life is the enemy. Why is this important? Because, and this may be largely my perception, there is a real, purposeful inclination; not only in society, but sadly in some of our modern theology, to dismiss the concept that Satan even exists and/or too the extent that he does, he has no power against us in any state.
I’ve spent a great part of my life, both in the active duty military as well as supporting it. One of the keystones to a victorious strategy is if I can convince an enemy that I am no threat, that I have no power, that they should look everywhere but at me when considering a needed defense. To the extent I can get the enemy convinced of those things; they are woefully unprepared for my attack and much more easily conquered. Now please don’t misread me hear. Jesus Christ will never be conquered or defeated by Satan. However, it is Jesus in His life and teachings, that shows just how powerful Satan is and how we are no match alone against him. The man in the tombs could not dislodge the power of enemy from himself nor could the combined resources of the local townspeople. It was only by the power of Jesus Christ that the enemy was vanguished.
Dear Sisters and Brothers understand that I am not one who believes that we should spend our time completely dwelling our focus or our preaching on hell and Satan. However, we also don’t want to be dwelling in hell with Satan either. We have to fight the arrogant tendency to accept the power of God but then elevate ourselves as the next all powerful force in existence. Jesus Christ is clear; apart from Him we can do nothing; that includes defeating the enemy. It is only by abiding in Christ can our soil be gracefully blessed to overcome the attacks of the enemy and produce a blessed bounty. On our own, we will not be victorious. Thanks be to God Almighty, there is never a time He desires us rely on ourselves.
There is seed being sowed to us constantly. If we are to be the productive soil we must be watered and nurtured by the cleansing water of the blood of Jesus Christ. All soil needs some sort of replenishing fertilizer. Let us take in the sustaining, nutrient rich, restorative love of Heavenly Father, through the Word of Jesus Christ, by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It is then that our soil might be truly productive, being able to bless a world of challenged soils and bring glory the name of Him in whom all things, including soils are created.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father we proclaim that You have created in us soil with Your desire that it be abundantly productive. Forgive us Most Merciful Father when we depart from You and allow are soils to become ineffective and unproductive. Through Your Spirit, bring us back that we might abide in Your Son Jesus Christ, relying on the restorative grace filled gifts of love, forgiveness and peace. Through Jesus, allow us to be producers of blessed bounty for all, showing all soils that they too may become good soils of produce in You. That in our taking in the Seed of Your Word and producing through You, we would be bringing praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ.
“I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in Me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father.” John 14:12
….but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ , walk. Acts 3:6
“He must become greater, I must become less.” John 3:30
Boy, I don’t know that it can be argued; Jesus did some great things while here on earth. I mean He, healed the sick, fed the thousands with a few meager loaves and two fish, completely quieted a ranging storm, walked on water and, and. How did John end His gospel? “…Jesus did many other things…if everyone written down….the whole world would not have room for the books…” (John 21:25)
Of course we might say or think to ourselves: “Sure He did great things He was and is God”. Soooo it might surprise us when Jesus says that we can do greater things than He did. Now we might be forgiven for thinking this might only apply to the disciples. After all, they spent so much time in direct contact with the Messiah. Forgiven or not, we would be in error, for Jesus proclaims that anyone can accomplish these greater things.
Well, I’m definitely a part of anyone, I do believe in Christ so look out here comes the great things I’m going to do; which, oh by the way, will obviously make me great as well! Fame, maybe a little fortune as well will be coming my way, with these great things I will accomplish. This is a ministry I can get behind. I’m great and I do great!!!!
Hmm, who’s great? Let’s look at the example of Peter in Acts. Peter and the disciples had received the Holy Spirit, sent by Jesus Christ, and started to preach about Jesus as Savior. Many were believing but many were still skeptical. One day, just outside the temple, in the midst of a large crowd of people, Peter encounters a lame beggar. The man asks Peter and John for money. This would be the perfect time to make a spectacle. It could have been “show time” where Peter puts on a performance proclaiming the greatness of Peter’s power and how great he had become. Yet Peter does not fall for that trap. First Peter declares, he is just as humble in worldly wealth as the beggar, he has no gold or silver to give the man. But Peter has been given a great power and as it has been given to Peter, Peter will in turn give to the man. Peter declares, that in the Name of Jesus Christ, the man is healed and can walk again. The end result is that the man leaps to his feet walks and jumps in the temple and who does he praise for his healing? The man doesn’t praise Peter, the man praises God.
You see Dear Sisters and Brothers, Peter was following the example of Jesus Christ. For Jesus many times declared He was not doing things of His own accord but through the Plan and Will of His Father in Heaven. Even as God, Christ was not about bringing glory to Himself, but humbled Himself to bring glory to the Father.
Thus, we too must remember, it is not about being known as great that is the goal here. Yes, we want to heal, to feed, to bring peace; I think, personally it would be cool to walk on water, but any and all of these things we do by the power of Jesus Christ is to bring glory and praise to our Heavenly Father.
The paradox is this, as we might do ever greater things; we desire that our own credit, glory, greatness would be ever diminishing so that the Father is glorified in us. It is similar to John the Baptist. When Jesus came and started His ministry, which was far superior to John’s, John’s influence and ministry waned as Jesus’s following and ministry grew. John was not chagrined or chastened by this; but praised and proclaimed this as the good and proper process as well.
In having this conversation with a wise person, they pointed out to me that, in terms of Peter and the healing, Peter did need to act. Peter did not just sit back and state, if Jesus wants him healed, then Jesus will do it. No, Peter came to the lame man, as a man and called upon the power of Jesus Christ through Peter, to heal him. If this were a sentence, Peter might be the subject. Yet when Peter states “I give you”, it’s as if the “I” is a lower case i with an all caps JESUS CHRIST(my teacher wife would not be pleased with my grammar). You see Peter would not use a capital I, in conjunction with Christ for that would be making them both in some way equal. Peter sees no equality with Christ and neither should we, even if we are being allowed to use His power to do great things. Christ’s power in and through us does not make us equal to Christ.
So, abiding in Christ which is the only way His power can be manifested in us, let us go out and do great things. Let us be bold in our thoughts, words and faith; so that we may do even greater things. Yet let us not strive to be known as great by the great gifts we are given. Instead let us strive to be humble bringing glory and praise to our Heavenly Father through our great deeds who is never stingy in showering us with His blessings and sharing His glory.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, who are we that You would see fit to share Your power with us that we might do great things? We thank You that as Your Son has returned to You, Your plan for our salvation has granted us the power to do even greater things than He did. Forgive us, we pray most Merciful Father, when we strive to bring glory to ourselves, to be known as great, by the power You have granted to us. Pour out Your Spirit upon us, that we might remember to be humble in Your presence and in carrying out Your plan. That in the works we do in Your Name, we would strive to be a blessing to others while bringing praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:39
“to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” Ephesians 4: 22-24
Finally, Brothers and Sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things. Philippians 4:8
Jesus Christ was unambiguous in His reply. This question was being posed by, in the day and time when Jesus walked the earth, a learned man, a man considered wise and perhaps holy; a scribe. This question came at the height of Jesus’s popularity during His time on earth. He had come humbly but triumphantly into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. The crowds had cheered Him and the leadership had jeered Him. The religious leadership had been peppering Jesus with question after question trying to trick or confuse Him. Jesus confounded them at every turn. In Matthew it was an evil question meant to hopefully trap Jesus in some faulty answer. In Mark the scribe asked the question to Jesus after hearing Him clearly outwit a gathering of religious leaders. Either way, Jesus was and His message for us today is very clear. Which is the greatest commandment?
Now, for a moment, it might add some clarity to understand the scope of the question. Was the scribe talking about which of the 10 Commandments, given by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai? Was the scribe asking concerning the greatest commandment of the roughly 613 commandments which were passed down, derived through the 10 Commandments? There were a tremendous amount of commandments to choose from. Which one or two would Jesus choose?
Understand this, neither the question nor the answer were new. Loving God with all that you have; heart, body, soul and mind was the first commandment that Moses gave to the people in Deuteronomy when the people of Israel thought they were about to cross over into the promised land. Moses was explaining, how it was that they would be able to stay in the favor of God Almighty if they lived by these precious precepts and did not turn away from them or forget them. Earlier in Luke’s Gospel, a man answered a question posed by Jesus by quoting these two same commandments. The man went on to ask Jesus: “Who is my neighbor?” , and Jesus proceeded to tell the parable of the Good Samaritan.
They lived in a fractured world back in the time of Jesus’s walk on this earth. Jew and gentile, Pharisee and Sadducee, freeman and slave, Roman and the rest of the world; were only some of divisions which existed in the land of that time.
Now fast forward some 2020 years later. Ho Boy, do we have divisions. As this blog is read around the world, I would mention just some in my country; conservatives and liberals, migrants and native citizens, man and woman, gender specific and gender flexible, and..and…and. We have a lot of division in our country and our world. So here’s the challenge; not so much that those differences exist, but the way we treat those who believe differently; as wrong, as evil, as hated, that drives differences into divisions, which destroys groups as small as families and as large as nations.
Notice, neither in the Old Testament or with Jesus, Himself, was it declared, you will love those who believe like you do, who look or act like you do or who vote like you do. Jesus Christ makes it clear, both in His teaching and His living, talking with a Samaritan – a woman no less – or healing a Roman Centurion’s servant, that neighbor has a very broad and universal meeting. A neighbor can be a person who has lived next to you for 30 years or a stranger standing next to you in a shopping line.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Jesus makes it clear, love; love toward our neighbor, whomever they might be should be our default position. There is only one greater commandment; to Love our Heavenly Father. Why? The power of love. As we love our neighbor, we’re not likely trying to harm them. Our blood pressure or anger doesn’t go through the roof as we love our neighbor. A loving neighbor carries no brick, no molatov cocktail, no semi-automatic weapon to use against their neighbor. Love is the Power of God. Loving like Him allows us to share in that power.
Okay, okay, you say, then I’m going to go out and do it. Today I’m going to start loving all my neighbors, just you wait. In some cases it may be tough love, maybe, I’m going to be loving them while I smack some sense into them but I can do this, I’m going to love them.
If we’re going to have a shot at this at all, we have to understand a few things. First to become this way takes a transformation. The world and those of the world will never be able to find it within themselves to love thy neighbor as Jesus describes. As Jesus explained to Nicodemus it takes being born again. It takes taking off the old self and putting on the new self. The only way to truly accomplish that is to be in Christ Jesus.
Abiding in Christ, experiencing Christ’s love and His power to change us allows us then, to exemplify Christ in our love for our neighbor. As written in Ephesians, only by putting on the whole armor of God can we combat the evil of this world to see clearly a better, more loving path forward.
Each day we’re likely to come in contact with many neighbors. Some of those neighbors will be in person, some virtually. Some will be neighbors we’ve known for decades, some will be strangers who cross our paths. Let us not look to world power; the power of distrusting and hating those neighbors who seem different, wanting for and maybe taking part in their destruction. Instead let us embrace the Power of God Almighty and His second most important commandment to love that neighbor, even if the love is not returned. Knowing that the Power of God and His love can never be defeated and by loving in Him we bring praise to His Holy Name.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we proclaim that You are God and along, with Your Son and the Holy Spirit, the only True God. Thus You are right and just to have commandments. We thank you Most Merciful Father that Your greatest commandments are to love; first You, then our neighbors as ourselves. Forgive us when we neglect these commandments or try and narrow our definition of neighbor to exclude those we decide are not worth our love. Pour out Your Spirit on us that we might resist the worldly definition of love and neighbor to, instead accept Your definition and the power that goes along with that definition. Allow us to be beacons of Your love to all our neighbors that we might be peacemakers and healers to this world and bring praise to Your Most Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen
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“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe I am who I am”. John 13:19
“But Joseph replied: ‘Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this – to preserve the lives of many people.'” Â Genesis 50 19,20
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.
So I realize that the title and subsequent concept flies into the face of the current thinking concerning there being any value in looking back behind us; looking into the past. Indeed there are many slogans today like: “There’s a reason your rearview mirror is so small and your windshield so large, where you’re going is so much more important than where you’ve been” (Authors note: when driving I agree more time needs to be spent looking at where you’re going). Or, “Looking back isn’t’ going to help you. Moving forward is the thing you need to do”.
Now yes, I do understand and agree with certain aspects about not being able to change the past, so constantly dwelling on a past mistake or situation can be detrimental. Similarly, maybe your past is where a particular triumph was and you’d rather bask in the glow and stay focused on that past success instead of trying to be impactful in the present.
Yet Scripture, both in the Old and New Testament as well as Jesus, Himself, want to show us how the past can be amazingly helpful in revealing truths about the present and features of the future. So let us explore them.
It was a tumultuous time for the disciples, but Jesus knew it was going to increase in intensity by leaps and bounds. Most of the disciples had been with Him for close to three years. They had seen Him heal, quiet storms and walk on water. Earlier in the week, Jesus had entered triumphantly into Jerusalem to the wild cheers of the crowd. Throughout the week, the religious establishment had tried to trick and trip up Jesus and He had triumphed over them each and every time. Now they were eating the blessed Passover dinner. The disciples had no idea what was coming. But Jesus, being God, knew the entire plan and knew what would soon befall Him. Jesus started to give the disciples and inkling of what was to come with a message that one of their intimate group was going to betray Jesus. Then Jesus explains to them why He is telling them this ahead of time. What’s going to befall Jesus, being arrested, being tortured and then being killed by crucifixion was going to be a horrible experience. It was going to be an experience that none of the disciples would share in or even have an expectation was going to happen. It was crucial to Jesus that the disciples understand that this was all a part of His Father’s blessed plan of salvation. So Jesus’s plan was to tell them ahead of time of what was to happen, with the expressed desire that upon the actual happening itself, the disciples would look back and remember that Jesus had foretold all that was going to happen. Without Jesus doing this, the disciples might have thought that earthly powers had overcome heavenly powers or perhaps Jesus wasn’t really who He said He was after all. Instead, after the event of the betrayal happened, the disciples could look back and remember that Jesus had foretold this and thus, the betrayal and the other happenings were not out of heavenly control but were actually happening because of heavenly control. Their belief in Jesus would become even stronger.
Now, let’s take the example of Joseph. It appears from scripture, Joseph might have been somewhat an obnoxious younger brother. He was his father’s favorite and whether intentionally or unintentionally, he reminded his brothers of that fact. However, nothing of Joseph’s behavior warranted death; which the brothers initially schemed to make happen or selling him to caravan as a slave. But that is exactly what the brothers did. So you know what happens, eventually by staying faithful and serving the Pharaoh, Joseph is ultimately promoted to the second highest ruler, only the Pharaoh being higher, in all of Egypt. Enter a famine. The famine was so widespread that the family of Jacob (Joseph’s father) would have starved without help. Due to Joseph’s wise planning and stewardship, the only place that had any food during the famine was Egypt. So Jacob sent his remaining sons to ask for help. At first the brothers have no idea that they are asking for help from the very same brother they sold to slavery oh those many years ago. What is Joseph to do; chop off their heads, slow torture them to death? No; Joseph feeds them and invites the entire family to come and live in Egypt. Jacob, Joseph, his brothers; no one knew that a famine was coming. God did. Would it be likely in the midst of the famine that Egypt would be willing to share their precious, scarce grain with a bunch of stranger, outsiders? Not unless someone was in charge who knew these outsiders and wanted to help them; enter Joseph. So when Joseph reveals himself to his brothers, he does so with the insight of looking back. He can see that, while his brothers meant evil, God, who didn’t cause the evil deeds, still used those evil deeds ultimately for the good of not only Joseph, but Jacob’s entire family. Plus because God knows all things for all times, He knew that eventually the Egyptians would turn on Jacob’s ancestors which would bring about Moses and the salvation of the Israel nation.
Okay, biblical accounts are fine but does that relate to today? Well for me, my blessings of wife and family came because God gave me a heart condition. Huh? You see I was in the Air Force and on flight status. To maintain that status I had to pass an exhaustive physical. Early in my career, I had gone through three of the physicals from three different highly trained specialists called flight surgeons. Each time I passed with (pardon the pun) flying colors. Now training was over and it was time to go to my new duty station and time for another physical. This time the flight surgeon listened to my heart for just a few moments; stopped and asked me if I knew I had a heart murmur. This was/is a condition that could disqualify me from flying. He asked me if I had rheumatic fever as a child or some other significant illness which normally is what causes the condition. I not only told him that I hadn’t (which was true) but that it had not come up in any of my three recent flight physicals. That caught him very much by surprise but he let me listen to my heart and once he told me what to listen for, sure enough, there was that heart murmur.
To continue flying and probably even stay in the Air Force, I was going to have to receive a waiver. I arrived at my new duty station and we began the waiver process. However, I couldn’t fly during that time so I was assigned some additional duties working for an officer I normally would not have for about two months. The waiver comes through and I’m back on flight status. Six months later a training position comes open under the officer I had previously worked under. There were more senior/experienced officers for the position but because the officer and I had worked so well together he chose me. Both myself and the other officer worked for an officer who happened to have a daughter, roughly my same age. You guessed it, the senior officer introduced us and 34 years later, I am still the most blessed man alive with the wonderful relationship with her and two children. When I was first diagnosed with the heart murmur and facing dismissal from the Air Force, I was praying for God’s help, but not seeing any big picture aspect to the situation. It was only later, when I looked back, could I see all the steps God put in place, steps that were out of my control, that brought about the blessed union which was God’s perfect plan.
Here’s the thing, that was not an isolated incident. Over and over again I could enumerate (but you can breath a sigh of relief, I won’t) the times that a seemingly random or even negative circumstance in my life turned out, by the Grace of God to be a great blessing.
So now I come to my point (finally); circumstances continue to happen. Things continue to happen to and around me that I did not expect, would not have planned and in general would not have wanted. Not all circumstances are this way but when the ones that are unsettling arise, if I only looking forward, I might do so with fear and trepidation that this circumstance is the one that spells my doom. However, by looking at the lessons in the bible and applying them to my past events, (I think that sequence; bible first, then reflections, is key) I can face the uncertain circumstances with much greater confidence, even positivity and with God given peace. My past through God is informing my present and future.
Thus Dear Sister and Brother in Christ, these seem to be societal and perhaps for you personal, uncertain times. The world may be seeming you to come at you with significant, overwhelming threats. So especially, if you find that you are filled with fear and dread, I encourage you to look back in your life to times of uncertain circumstances. Look through your eyes of faith, to see God and His support for you. If the vision is difficult to come by do not hesitate to pray for the assistance of the Holy Spirit to open your eyes to God’s faithful Grace and Deliverance in times past.
What you may very well find is a treasure chest of revelations concerning the power of our Heavenly Father for you and ways He has displayed His power in Your life. Then pray for the strength of spirit to use that revelation about your past to bring about faithful confidence and peace as you trust in our Heavenly Father to always be with you; now and in the future regardless of circumstances. The goal; whether past, present or into the future is that we see and live into the Grace and Love of our Heavenly Father, His Blessed Son Jesus Christ, through the Holy Spirit.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, in a way that we do not understand we proclaim that You are a God of past, present and future, consisting in those realms all at the same time. Thus Your plan of us is uniquely perfect as You connect all the times together for our blessing. Forgive us we pray when we fail to see Your power in our past lives and find ourselves fearful about today and tomorrow. Through the Holy Spirit, open our eyes to how You have always accompanied and delivered us in the past so that our faith will be magnified and a peace be realized in all circumstances. That it be our goal at all times to live lives that bring praise to Your Holy Name. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.Â
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“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles. Isaiah 40:31
“Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick tempered displays folly” Proverbs 14:29
“…how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!” Matthew 7:11
…Love is patient….. 1 Corinthians 13:4
I was prompted to write this post because of an interaction I had a short time ago. Hours after the workday had ended, a thought occurred to me that not only impacted me but two of my colleagues as well. What did I do? Did I wait until the next day to “call” them? Of course not, I pulled out my trusty smart phone (note the phone being smart does not imply the same for it’s owner/user) and texted away.
Here’s the thing; I’m a definite baby-boomer, both in age and in technical acuity. More often than not my preference is to talk to people. Also, I often go to my grown children, but also did when they were much younger to explain technical processes and troubleshoot issues.
Now, again it’s past work hours and before smart phones and accompanying technology, I would not have picked up a phone at that hour and called them. This was not an emergency. Additionally, I was not looking for or even expecting necessarily an answer that night, I just wanted to put the issue out there. However, an answer did come back from both of my colleagues in a very short order and a digital conversation ensued.
Where am I going with this and what does it have to do with prayer? Good question. You see we have so many different ways to communicate today; face-2-face, email, phone, text, video chat, and, and…. One aspect that has also changed or expanded is how we can reply when engaged in the various communication channels. If I ask you a question in person, depending on the question I might expect an immediate reply. Perhaps I expect some aspect of immediacy on a phone call or video chat. Yet what about the other channels, do I expect an immediate answer or at least acknowledgement of receipt? How patient am I for you to return my communication/inquiry with some acknowledgement or answer. How often do we find ourselves watching the moments tick by on a clock with slightly or perhaps more so, elevated blood pressure or frustration when the minutes are passing without some returned communication is some way. It seems to me, both in personal experience as well as watching greater society function; there is an expectation of imminent if not immediate response to our inquiries or some required explanation for delay. Rarely do I hear “patience is a virtue” either spoken or especially practiced.
What I wonder is, to what extent that worldly expectation, creeps its way into communication and relationship with Our Heavenly Father; especially in our spiritual practice of prayer? “Hello God?….are you there?……..I prayed this request yesterday……..You’re a God of infinite power, wisdom and say You have a plan……..so……..let’s get with it…I’m busy….I need Your answer”. While those specific words may never actually be or even contemplated to be prayed; but the question is, what is in our heart?
It seems that in the world, a quick response is a desired, perhaps even accepted response. The longer a response takes for us to receive; the more we tend to ask the question: What is wrong? or What is the explanation for the delay? We tend to fear that other than an immediate positive reply is a rejection. Additionally, if we’re not careful, we will be tempted, like the example of King Saul, to act impetuously, not waiting for the Lord’s reply but striking out on our own, with our own wisdom, causing destruction to ourselves and potentially those around us.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, our Heavenly Father declared in Isaiah: “Neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8). Yet Our Heavenly Father’s ways, to include His plans, which includes His timing are perfect. So we must resist the world’s pace and demands for answers and have patient faith in God. It is not that He might have us wait as some kind of power play or ploy to show who’s the boss. He doesn’t need that. However, we do need His timing.
So please, ask. Jesus tells us we should go forth and ask. We should ask having faith that we are heard. Jesus also is clear. We are loved by our Father. Jesus asks us to consider that if we who are fallen can still give good gifts to our children, how much more will our perfect, loving Father respond with blessings. Yet we should have and if we’re lacking in, we should pray for help in responding in faith, patient faith. Paul tells us that love is patient, which also means that having patience is an act of love.
Let it be that in our petitions to our Heavenly Father as well as in our faithful, patient expectation of His blessed response; we will live lives of thanksgiving and praise to His Almighty Name.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father we are so thankful that You have seen fit to allow us to make requests of You. Yet Gracious Father, you know we live in a world that is increasingly impatient with any gap between question and answer. Forgive us Most Merciful Father when we are tempted to apply worldly standards to Your relationship with us. Keep us from being tempted to stray from patiently waiting upon Your perfect response to go our own way based on our own minimal wisdom. Give us the strength to resist impatience and instead remain in peace and faith, confident in Your perfect timing. We pray this in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
I applied my mind to study and to explore by wisdom all that is done under heavens. Ecclesiastes 1:13
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13
Author’s Note: 3 things First, while I love to read the bible, not all the books make the same impact at the same time. I find the Gospels, Genesis, Psalms, Proverbs and most of the New Testament letters very impactful. Other books not so much. Secondly, I’m not a biblical scholar, so even in the reading of those familiar books and those less so, I claim no expertise. Finally, it is amazing to me how the Spirit, provides enlightenment at different times using different books; like Ecclesiastes. Let’s get started
We have a lot of questions. We have questions about our purpose in life, what constitutes a good life, how do I find the purpose and many, many more. Today we also have a plethora of answers. Find what you love to do and do it, surround yourself with these people but not those, get married, stay single, eat this but not that, weigh this, drink that, be mindful, be belligerent are just some of the answers. Plus, throw in a pandemic and you have stay this distance away, take this, wear this, don’t do this. It can seem maddening.
And of course, just what we need, we have this marvel of technological achievement called the internet to supply us with all the nauseatingly vast amount of any information we could ever want (as well as a considerable amount we don’t) to answer our inquiries. Now this is not a new question or new search. In fact, some roughly 2800 years ago there was a man who wanted to know the same things: What’s the meaning of it all? What makes up a good life? Now this man had some extremely unique and powerful resources that should have allowed him to answer this question if anyone could. His name was Solomon and here’s what he found out.
First, some back story to Solomon. Solomon was the son of King David in Israel. As King David was dying, there was a brief power struggle to see who would succeed him between Solomon and his half brother Adonijah. Solomon won and became king. Solomon became king at the ripe old age of 12. The Bible tells us God came to Solomon and asked Solomon what gift God could grant to him. Solomon realized that he was in way over his head at 12 years old to be king, so he asks God for wisdom. God was so pleased that Solomon didn’t ask for riches, or long life or destruction of his enemies that God not only granted him unparalleled wisdom but great riches, health and peace as well.
With that backstory in mind let’s fast forward to Ecclesiastes. King Solomon was having a great reign; there was peace in the land and his wealth and wisdom were so famous that great kings and queens were coming to him for his counsel. Yet, seemingly, that life still lacked something for Solomon. It seemed to lack the answer to the question of why; what does life really matter. So he sets out to answer that question and then writes about it. Remember, King Solomon starts this quest with amazing resources of wealth, power, wisdom, knowledge at his disposal. See if you have found yourself following any of the paths he followed.
First, as chronicled in Chapter 2, Solomon says it must be pleasure that defines and is the purpose of life. And boy does he go all out in the pleasure realm. He got ragingly drunk, many times. He surrounded himself with fun people. He did not bother with inhibitions when it came to women. In Ecclesiastes, he says he denied nothing that his eyes desired and he had the resources to make it happen. What was his conclusion about going after pleasure? “Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done……everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind…..” Ecclesiastes 2:11
Then Solomon moves on to knowledge and wisdom. If not chasing pleasure, surely meaning is found in gaining knowledge and wisdom. Oops, at least for Solomon. For he finds that just acquiring knowledge and wisdom doesn’t guarantee that the knowledge and wisdom can actually be utilized to improve anything. He comes to the conclusion: “What do I gain from being wise? Then I said to myself, this too is meaningless”. Ecclesiastes 2:15
Well okay, pleasure is out, wisdom and knowledge – not really; then it must be work. My occupation, doing great work must be and bring meaning to life, Solomon says to himself. Nope, wrong again, Solomon finds. He says: so I hated my life, because the work that is done under sun was grievous to me. Ecclesiastes 2:17
Finally Solomon starts to have a realization. It starts later in verse 2 when he declares: A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their toil. This too, I see, IS FROM THE HAND OF GOD, for without Him who can eat and find enjoyment. Finally, as Solomon finishes up this manuscript, he advises that God, the fear of God and keeping God’s commandments are the first and foremost aspect to life.
Dear Sisters and Brothers, when I read Ecclesiastes, because of some of the language Solomon uses, I thought it was a really downer book. To me the best part of the book used to be the verses in Chapter 3 that the Bryds used in their wonderful classic rock song; Turn, Turn Turn. However, with age, I’ve changed my outlook on the tenor of the message. Solomon does communicate frustration that none of the worldly pursuits he attempted led him to the answer of a fulfilled, meaningful life. However, Solomon did eventually find the answer. The answer is GOD! God first, God paramount. God will grant the meaning. God will grant the purpose. Thus the focus is rightly, solely and souly on God. I no longer take it as a depressing message.
Thus Solomon did us a great service. Because of the question he asked, the nearly boundless energy and massive scope he utilized to try and find an answer as well as the final answer he found; we do not have to replicate that same search. Solomon told us what he looked at and why it was lacking in giving purpose.
As we approach our lives today, we should reflect on to what extent we are in the same desperate search for meaning in our existence. What resources are we using in that search? To what extent are we looking to the world in any aspect to provide the answer and the meaning? Are we looking within for the answer the Holy Spirit is longing to give us; that we should be abiding in the Son, Jesus Christ, relying on the plan of salvation for each of us devised by our Father in Heaven?
Rest from your quest to find meaning. Our Heavenly Father has and is the meaning, as the Creator, of and for our lives. That plan is love. That plan is perfect. And as we live out that plan, we will bring glory to His Holy Name.
Our Most Gracious Heavenly Father, we are so thankful that You have seen fit to provide us with guidance in the form of Your Word to the questions of this life. Forgive us and have mercy on us when we fail to use Your resources and strike out on our own to find meaning to our lives. Protect us from the world and worldly who would attempt to lead us a astray in finding meaning in purely earthly pursuits. Send Your answer through Your Spirit to our hearts that we might look no further than You, You the Father, You the Son, You the Holy Spirit to find all our answers. Then grant us the power to go forth with Your answer, in love, to lead others who are desperately seeking meaning, to Your same answer. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen
Postscript – Now if the Holy Spirit can help me find meaning in the Book of Numbers. 🙂
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