Category: First Steps

Posted on

First Steps – January 25, 2021

 

What are we to make of these words from Psalm 94?
The Lord is a God who avenges.
    O God who avenges, shine forth.
2 Rise up, Judge of the earth;
    pay back to the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, Lord, will the wicked,
    how long will the wicked be jubilant?
4 They pour out arrogant words;
    all the evildoers are full of boasting.
5 They crush your people, Lord;
    they oppress your inheritance.
6 They slay the widow and the foreigner;
    they murder the fatherless.
7 They say, ā€œThe Lord does not see;
    the God of Jacob takes no notice.ā€
8 Take notice, you senseless ones among the people;
    you fools, when will you become wise?
9 Does he who fashioned the ear not hear?
    Does he who formed the eye not see?
10 Does he who disciplines nations not punish?
    Does he who teaches mankind lack knowledge?
11 The Lord knows all human plans;
    he knows that they are futile.
12 Blessed is the one you discipline, Lord,
    the one you teach from your law;
13 you grant them relief from days of trouble,
    till a pit is dug for the wicked.
14 For the Lord will not reject his people;
    he will never forsake his inheritance.
15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness,
    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

How does one handle this harsh language of what some call a psalm of wrath or vengeance? One first must understand this psalm is to attempt to take justice and righteousness, and conversely injustice and sin, as seriously as God does. God turns against evil because of what evil does to Godā€™s good creationā€”it destroys or perverts it. Because God loves creation so much, it is a natural reaction to turn against that which would destroy what is dearly loved.  

In this psalm, we read the level of moral outrage to injustice and evil. Love has a goal for the object of that love to be better in every way. When that goal isnā€™t reached or actualized, the lover will do what is necessary for the object of love to reach that goal. This is not mean-spirited but the willingness of one to go to great lengths for anotherā€™s wholeness.  

I like what Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, ā€œI pray the imprecatory psalms in the certainty of their marvelous fulfillment.  I leave the vengeance to God.ā€ If I leave it to God, then I donā€™t have to worry about its fulfillment. That is something for God to doā€¦and God alone.   

 
 
This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Matthew 23 
  • Tuesday – Matthew  24
  • Wednesday – Matthew 25 
  • Thursday – Matthew 26 
  • Friday – Matthew 27 
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 
 

“Donā€™t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Posted on

First Steps – January 18, 2021

Focus on these words from Psalm 93:
The Lord reigns, he is robed in majesty;
    the Lord is robed in majesty and armed with strength;
    indeed, the world is established, firm and secure.
2 Your throne was established long ago;
    you are from all eternity.
3 The seas have lifted up, Lord,
    the seas have lifted up their voice;
    the seas have lifted up their pounding waves.
4 Mightier than the thunder of the great waters,
    mightier than the breakers of the seaā€”
    the Lord on high is mighty.
5 Your statutes, Lord, stand firm;
    holiness adorns your house
    for endless days.
An Old Testament scholar, Michael Jinkins, once said:
“Nowhere in the Psalms do the cries of human experience and the claim of divine sovereignty clash more powerfully than around the statement ā€˜the Lord is King.ā€™  Humanity seems hell-bent on trying to put someone or something other than God in charge of things, that is, on the throne. Indeed, many would prefer to do away with even the language of lordship or kingship when speaking of God. Surely our contemporary bias toward democratic processes (which most of us accept as being a very good thing) should be extended to our doctrine of God, right?

“While it is true that there are many wonderful images and metaphors in the Bible describing the character of Godā€”from a just judge to a loving parent to a loyal friendā€”at our peril we ignore the qualitative difference between God, the Holy One, the Creator, the Preserver, and the Sustainer on the one hand and Godā€™s creatures on the other.  

“But most importantly, this is good news!  For in acknowledging that it is the Lord who reigns, we know that we do not.  We do not reign over this world.  We do not reign over our lives, and certainly not over the lives of our neighbors.  One infinitely and eternally wiser, truer, more compassionate, and more just than we are reigns supreme.”

 
We are called to lift up our hearts because He is king.  For this, thanks be to God! 
 
 
This Week’s Readings:
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world. 
 

“Donā€™t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Posted on

First Steps – January 11, 2021

Jesus said, 3 ā€œBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 ā€œBlessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before youā€ (Matthew 5:2b-12).

Continue to focus on The Beatitudes. It is a call to be a certain type of person. A Kingdom Person that sees the world the way God sees it. Granted, this can be frightening because it is counter to how so many live. For instance:

* In a world where wealth equals success, blessed are the poor.
* In a world where pride and assertiveness are prized, blessed are the meek.
* In a world where not getting caught is the aim, blessed are the ones who strive for righteousness.
* In a world where ruthlessness gets promoted to the top, blessed are merciful.
* In a world where ripping people off, lying, promiscuity, betrayal are common, blessed are the pure in heart.
* In a world that thrives on violence and hostility, blessed are the peacemakers.
* In a world where the goal is to live pain-free, blessed are the persecuted.

The Beatitudes call one to look at the values of his/her culture and compare it to Godā€™s culture. As followers of Christ, we seek Godā€™s cultureā€”His Kingdom. Granted, it is counter to the world, but it is worth it. ā€œSeek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as wellā€ (Matthew 6:33).

This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Matthew 13
  • Tuesday – Matthew 14
  • Wednesday – Matthew 15
  • Thursday – Matthew 16
  • Friday – Matthew 17
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world.

“Donā€™t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Posted on

First Steps – January 4, 2021

Jesus said, 3 ā€œBlessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 ā€œBlessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before youā€ (Matthew 5:2b-12).

Philip Yancey said, ā€œIf I fail to understand this teaching, I fail to understand him (Jesus). The above passage is commonly called The Beatitudes. What strikes me is that Jesus began his teaching with a focus on people, not a place, a program, or a practice. With God, it is always about a person. The Children of Israel were called to be a unique people. The promised land, a place to call home, was secondary. Furthermore, in Matthewā€™s Gospel, the Kingdom of Heaven describes a type of person, not a place. Followers of Christ are Kingdom People first and foremost because they see the world the way God sees it.

I hope this brings you comfort. Holiness is about being the person God desires you to be. It is both who you are and what you do. The order is importantā€”inside first, then outside. Many will reverse the order thinking it is what they do first that leads to holiness. This leads to failure. The heart has to change first, then actions. This week , focus on The Beatitudes. Allow the Holy Spirit to bring change from the inside.

This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Matthew 8
  • Tuesday – Matthew 9
  • Wednesday – Matthew 10
  • Thursday – Matthew 11
  • Friday – Matthew 12
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world.

“Donā€™t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Posted on

First Steps – December 28, 2020

I have always enjoyed the week between Christmas Day and New Yearā€™s Day. Everything seems to slow down and people seem to enjoy a different pace. It is relaxing and peaceful. Perhaps it is the calm after the storm. Whatever it is, I like it.

I think there is a lesson to be learned with what many call Margin. Most of our lives are spent or lived on the edge. We schedule every minute of the day. We run to the point of exhaustion, afraid to miss an event for fear we will miss out or be bypassed. We pretend our frantic pace doesnā€™t have its negative effects. We deny the toll from the lack of financial, relational, or physical margin takes on our lives.

Yet, Godā€™s Word continually reminds us to embrace Sabbath, live within our means, and care for our bodies and souls. What if you made your top priority for the coming year Margin? I wonder what 2021 would be like if we embraced the concept of Sabbath in every aspect of our lives. Maybe it would be like that sacred time between Christmas Day and New Yearā€™s Day.

Dear Lord, may it be! Amen.

This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – Matthew 3
  • Tuesday – Matthew 4
  • Wednesday – Matthew 5
  • Thursday – Matthew 6
  • Friday – Matthew 7
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world.

“Donā€™t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Posted on

First Steps – December 21, 2020

A couple of weeks ago, my son and I were doing some yard work.  It was a cold day, so I covered up with the exception of my face which was exposed.  As I was putting the finishing touches on trimming our pampas grass, what seemed like out of nowhere came this immense pain on my nose.  It felt like someone had punched me repeatedly in the face.  I couldnā€™t see anything on my face to be the cause, but it was throbbing.  As it turned out,  I had been stung four times on my nose by yellowjackets.

I was stunned and shocked.  Frankly, I was angry that they stung me. Thinking I was going to show them, I immediately went outside with some wasp/hornet spray.  As I sprayed the area, thinking I was about to return the favor, I was stung two additional times above my right eye.  As I ran from the area, my son said he could see them following me and at least four or five yellowjackets on my shirt. Nonetheless, I gave up the fight, went inside to lick my woundsā€¦and take a Benadryl.  

Once my swollen face returned to normal size, I had these reflections:

  1. One cannot see all potential danger. Iā€™m sure there was a nest somewhere in close proximity to the pampas grass; but I didnā€™t see it nor could I find any resemblance of one. True in life, some of the potential dangers are unknown and come without warning; therefore, it is better to be prepared beforehand. Spiritually speaking, cultivating your faith with daily disciplines can weather potential dangers.
  2. Sometimes it is best to just leave things alone and go in another direction.  My male ego and pride told me that I could ā€œteach those yellowjacketsā€ a thing or two.  Yet, round two didnā€™t go in my favor and only resulted in further pain. Though we canā€™t see all the potential dangers in life, we can react in ways that are helpful or healthy.  Our reactions to people and events oftentimes inform us of our heartā€™s disposition.  
I think John Wesleyā€™s Three Simple Rules are useful here.  First: Do No Harm. Second: Do Good. Third: Obey the Ordinances of the Church. React by doing no harm – React by doing good.

I hope you donā€™t stumble upon a yellowjacket nest.  Better still, I hope you respond to potential dangers with the help of the Oxford Don, Mr. Wesley.  

 

This Week’s Readings:
  • Monday – 2 Corinthians 11
  • Tuesday – 2 Corinthians 12
  • Wednesday – 2 Corinthians 13
  • Thursday – Matthew 1
  • Friday – Matthew 2
Please Pray for:
  • Families in crisis.
  • Loved ones battling illness.
  • Those seeking to find their way.
  • The St. Paul Church family and our ministries.
  • The United Methodist Church family.
  • Our leaders, our country, and our world.

“Donā€™t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.” – Philippians 4:6

Proudly powered by WordPress