The Audacity to Hope Again? 

For most of us, keeping hope alive can be challenging, when dealing with long-term difficulties. Reaching a goal can drag on for years and even decades, making it easy for negative attitudes to block the solution when it does arrive. This appears to have been the situation in the Ephesian church during the last third of the 1st century CE. If you had been there, you would have been living in one of largest and richest cities in the Roman Empire. Most of the main streets would have been lined with Temples and sculptures representing a wide array of ancient Greek and Roman dieties. Standing beside them would have been sculptures of the Emperors and their worship centers. However, it is unlikely that you would have been partaking in the wealth that built these monuments. That was the purview of only a few.

The Ephesian church members came from many cultures. There were those who had been shaped by their membership in the emerging merchant “middle class”. However, many more were slaves and free poor. In the church, there were women, men and children. Any guest would have noticed the tensions building between people of all these groups. As in most of the other churches that the Apostle Paul had founded, Gentiles were competing with Jews over whose traditions would reign supreme. The Jews in the group could certainly have told their stories. – how they and/or their ancestors had witnessed one of their Temples after another being destroyed. Moreover, most members might have heard that John the Baptist, Peter, Paul and most of Jesus’ twelve original apostles had either been murdered. In addition to all of this, Roman soldiers were increasing the pressure on Christians and messianic Jews to defer to the Imperial cult and its gods. The question on many minds might have been whether churches such as theirs would survive.

When the Epistle to the Ephesians arrived, no doubt many wondered how the author could believe that they could have the audacity to hope again, in such circumstances. However, the first chapter of the letter alone tells readers that “grace would be lavished upon them”. They would experience “forgiveness”, and that they would have a new “inheritance”. It said that “Jesus was the new Gospel of their salvation”. They were “marked with the seal of the Holy Spirit”! Therefore, on that day, all they needed to do was again, “set their hope on Christ”!

Prayer 

Gracious Provider, Gospel of our salvation and Source of our inheritance! Help us to receive the promises in today’s Scripture. Help those of us who have been struggling to reach long-term goals, deal with illnesses, overcome financial difficulties and meet family challenges. Help us to receive your promises anew every day. Individually and collectively, give us the audacity to rise up in the name of Jesus, receiving your limitless blessings with the fresh and warm anticipation of each new expression of Your Spirit.

Reflection 

Do memories of past failures block you from receiving God’s blessings today? Are you overly suspicious, distrustful and “paranoid”? Have long-term struggles caused you to lose hope? If so why not re-state the various phrases of today’s Scripture into a prayer of thanksgiving?

Toy Blessings 

Several months ago my four year old nephew, Kevin and his friend, Malik, were playing together in my parents’ living room during a holiday family gathering. Malik was swinging Kevin’s Styrofoam sword and managed to break it. As soon as the sword broke, Kevin’s eyes welled up with tears and he cried out “You’re not my best friend anymore!!!” My family and I could not help but laugh at the raw emotion and dramatic words spoken over a toy. My nephew was heartbroken; but, as adults, we knew that his pain was only temporary. We knew that in about 5 minutes, his emotional wound would heal, and he and Malik would be best friends again.

When I read the words of Jonah’s dramatic despair over God’s choice to take a vine that provided him shade (which was insult to injury for Jonah after God’s choice to save Nineveh), I couldn't help but to laugh at Jonah, and myself. It reminded me of times when I, like Jonah, became brokenhearted and cried out to God over some situation that did not go my way. After gaining some spiritual maturity, I can now see that there have been many times I was upset over something that had no eternal relevance.

Of course our pain and disappointment are real and feel very important in the moment. But some situations about which we feel pain are like my nephew’s Styrofoam sword. There may be times in our lives when God, in God's divine and infinite wisdom, may view some situations in our lives as we adults viewed the loss of Kevin’s toy sword. While God may empathize, God can see the eternal perspective that we cannot. God may be allowing a situation for a higher purpose that supersedes the current pain. God can see the eternal blessings coming our way, which cannot be easily broken like the toy ones we are crying over.

Prayer 

Gracious and loving God, help us to get your perspective when we encounter an issue in our lives that causes us pain. Help us to see our problems from your eternal, divine perspective.

Reflection 

As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are God’s ways higher than our ways and God's thoughts than our thoughts (Isaiah55:9).

Fear, Be GONE! 

About three years ago, I made a conscious decision to conquer my insane fear of the water – I took a beginner’s swimming class at my neighborhood park district. Twice a week, I dutifully dragged my body to class and obediently followed my swim instructor’s commands. Although I was scared to death of drowning, I was determined to be free of my fear once and for all. Somewhere along the way, I realized that my fear was self-imposed; the more thought I gave to my fear of water, the more anxious I became and the more impossible my goal seemed. Once I began to focus my thoughts on positive outcomes, I was able to relax in the water; I could envision myself swimming with confidence because I didn’t allow fear to dominate my spirit.

2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” That is good news, for this passage in scripture confirms that everything of God and from God is good! If fear was not given to us by God, then that means that we consciously choose it. Through God, we have the power to choose differently; we have the power to overcome any fear – love and self-discipline are the tools that God gifted us with to defeat fear. When we choose The Supreme Being over a supernatural being (a spirit of fear), we can conquer anything!

Prayer 

Lord, there are times when fear has me in her grip and I don’t know how to break free. Take charge over my thoughts and spirit, Lord. Empower me to choose the good gifts that you planted in my spirit; help me to choose a winning attitude over a spirit of defeat. Amen!

Reflection 

Don’t let your thoughts control your emotions and actions! Choose Godly thoughts over fear!

A Long Way Off 

Have you ever felt a long way off? Did you ever feel that there was a great distance from where you are to where you want to be? Have you ever felt there was a wide gulf between your goals and your achievements, between your ideal Christian self and your fallible reality?

In this parable of the prodigal son told by our Christ to illustrate God’s love for us, the father ran toward his son who had made the decision to return home after turning his back on his father and living a sinful, selfish life. The son was still quite a distance away from the father. The father didn’t make the son travel the distance home by himself, or shame him for his poor choices. He threw his arms around his son, kissed him, and held a feast for him. His sinful life was far from his father’s thoughts. All the father cared about was that his son had made his way home.

This is good news for you and me, brothers and sisters! We may be a long way off in many ways, but God will run toward us as we make our way toward him. God will joyfully embrace us and prepare a feast for us, all because, with humility and love, we come to our senses and make our way home to God.

Prayer 

Compassionate and gracious God, thank you foryour love and mercy. Thank you forembracing us and rushing toward us as we make our way toward you.

Reflection 

Let us daily come to our senses like the prodigal son, and daily return to our Father in Heaven.

Don't Back Down-Stick to Your Guns 

I read this text and how Jesus responds and I think, why is Jesus responding in such a cold way to this woman? Is Jesus’ human side showing? Is he is discriminating? Is Jesus tired? Why? This lady who is a Gentile and not Jewish is coming in faith to Jesus and Jesus is acting like a Jerk. Jesus’ministry had been to the Jewish people up to this point. I have read that the biblical intent was that the Nation of Israel would accept the Messiah (Jesus) first, receive the Spirit, and turn-around and evangelize/minister to the whole world--So maybe Jesus was only trying to take care of the Children of Israel first??

But, there is nothing is more important to this woman than help for her daughter and she was not going to quit trying, even Jesus’ dismissive remark does not deter her. This Gentile woman had faith that Jesus could heal her daughter and she responds to Jesus’ “Even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” She was saying everyone should be a part of the healing, loving, kind, ministry of Jesus, even the Gentiles, if they believed in him. Jesus compliments her on her great faith and because he is moved by her faith, he heals her daughter.

This passage proves to be a masterful teaching session by the Lord. Jesus creates a situation that leads the woman to a more informed faith, a more precise hope, and the disciples to a greater appreciation of their role and of their privilege. Jesus has stayed true to His priority at the time (His disciple's needs), but was willing to interrupt that (briefly) to minister to a needy, faith-filled heart and to use that in leading His disciples to the greater rest that comes from greater faith in God. And this situation, recorded in scripture, challenges US to recognize His power and His willingness to meet our needs, although we MAY have to learn something in the process.

Prayer 

Lord, let us hear the great encouragement in this story – not only of your power to heal but also the power that lies deep inside of us that gets expressed through our own honesty and unwillingness to back down when people need help. For all of this, even the parts that are hard to understand, we give you thanks. In Jesus’name. Amen.

Reflection 

Jesus doesn’t follow OUR rules. But that should not keep us from sticking to our guns, from being bold, from hanging in there, especially when we do so for the sick, the weak and the worldly powerless.

Honor the Command 

This is one of the most powerful passages in the Bible, in which Jesus describes the essence of his divine message. I’d like to look at just one small part of it, maybe from a different perspective than we are used to.

When Jesus says, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,” we think immediately of his sacrifice on the cross for us. And we think of others, too, who have died for others. Too many of them, in wars and other forms of violence.

But Jesus does not require us to die to express our love. His command is to love each other, not to die for each other. Dying is not the only form of love we have to give. And so I choose to see that phrase—“to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”—as also meaning the willingness to set aside what we think of as “our life” to be in service to others. To forget about whatever we are doing or planning to do, and instead to be completely available to a friend on his or her journey. How many times has a friend in need asked us for help and we have felt “too busy” to truly be there Too busy with “our life” to honor Jesus’s command. How often are we “too busy” with other things to visit our sick, help feed our hungry, help ease the pain of the isolated and lonely, stand up for justice?

In those circumstances we can choose to “lay down our lives,” setting aside what seems important at the moment to honor our higher Christian calling. We can always pick our lives back up again. Whatever it was that seemed so important to us is not as important as what Jesus commanded.

Prayer 

Jesus, let me always be ready to truly honor your command. Not when I feel like it; not when the mood strikes me; but whenever I have the opportunity to love others as you have directed me to do.

Reflection 

There never was a moment in Jesus’s life when he was not extending love to others. How far are we from shining such love out from our own lives? What is stopping us?

Transformative Love 

“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me, having loved me long before there was ever a world. Righteous Father, the world has never known you, but I have known you and these disciples know that you sent me on this mission. I have made your very being known to them – Who you are and what you do – and continue to make it known so that your love for me might be in them exactly as I am in them.”

Do you know that God truly loves you, not just as an individual but also in fellowship with everyone else. The height, depth and width of God’s love is beyond our ability to sometimes understand and embrace. The wonderful thing about God’s love is not just that it is freely given and in abundance but that this love has the power to form and reform us into all that God intended for us to be!

As I was recently watching the movie “Transformers” I observed that these ordinary machines had the ability to become extraordinary when confronted with that which was seeking to kill, steal and destroy. Yet they were even more so motivated by a deep care and concern for the gift of life, which is conceived and birthed out of love. God’s transformative love for us has the power to change our minds, hearts and spirits. With this transformation the results are expressed in our conditions, character, and appearance. We begin to look for the good in our situations and circumstances while we are going through trials. We begin to share the very best of ourselves with others, trusting God that even if only one person responds, His love expressed through us has made a difference! Remember Jesus healed ten lepers but only one came back to say thank you and was truly healed!

God’s transformative love has not only saved us through Christ Jesus, but lives, moves and has being within us in the person of the Holy Spirit – God’s own Spirit! Now that is true Transformative Love.

Prayer 

Gracious God, we thank you that you never leave us as you found us and through your love, you renew, restore, and change us with the saving power of Jesus Christ our Lord and the ever-present Holy Spirit within - forever

Reflection 

The love of God has the ultimate power to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary daily.

Water From The Well 

Do we know the right thing to do in a situation? Yes, do we do it not always! We often find ourselves in deep water because we fail to do what we know to be right. The reference to the deep water in our heart refers to God’s presence with us that lead us to make the right choices. Let’s say for example you have two job offers the first one appeared to come out of nowhere and the second one you actually applied for. After interviewing for both positions your heart tells you to take the first one, but you opt for the second even though you felt uncomfortable. And guess what the second one landed you in deep water!

In making decisions that we know are right we must draw from the well that pumps life. Drawing from the well means we must connect with God whose pump pressures us to make the right decision. So the next time you find yourself in deep water, take a tip from Proverbs get your bucket and fill it from the well within.

Prayer 

Lord in our hearts we know what is right And yet we fail to stand up and fight Lord help us search deep within For your guidance again and again Lord may we draw from the wisdom you give So we can inspire others as long as we live.

In Due Time 

My childhood friend and her husband have been waiting for the adoption process to turn in their favor. Finally after a long painful wait their prayers were answered right in time for Thanksgiving! There were times when we were not joyful and certainly not patient. But we were faithful and prayerful. Failure, defeat, disappointment are hard pills to swallow day after day, week after week. But the only way to get through it is with faith and prayers. This is the formula for peace: Be joyful in hope+patient in affliction + faithful in prayer! This formula does not fix the situation but provides some comfort while going through the situation. It is good to hope, it takes us out of the situation to dwell on the better. Patience is a discipline. Faithful prayer is devotion to a power higher then yourself. Follow the formula and in due time things will change.

Prayer 

Holy One, help us to be joyful in all things and patient while we wait on you. Amen.

Reflection 

All things get better with time.

God Is Listening 

In this time of trouble and turmoil, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunami, economic upheavals, terrorism at home and abroad, wars and rumors of wars, murders, mayhem and an education system that fails to educate our young, we are moved to echo the cries of the Prophet Habakkuk, “How long oh Lord how long?” In Habakkuk chapter 1:2, the Prophet laments to our God the cries that are being wailed to God at this time throughout this world. “The why does God allow” question has become the watch word for today. Even church people are beginning to have doubts about the emphatic teaching that we have all received, “God hears and answers every prayer.”

This scripture reminds us that in the past when God’s people were experiencing the travails of a sin sick world that God was listening to their cries. God never changes, therefore we can take solace in knowing that God is listen today to our cries for help. We need to remember what our parents, grandparents and our ancestors of the past believed and said, “He may not come when you want Him, but He’s always right on time!”

Prayer 

Oh Great and Glorious God, help us to remain ever steadfast as we wait upon you, for you have promised never to leave us nor forsake us and your promises are all yes and amen through Jesus Christ our Lord. In Jesus name we pray, amen!

Reflection 

Count the number of times that God has failed you? The number is zero!