Devotionals

Scripture: Luke 4: 1-13

Only after Jesus has discovered where power truly lies is he ready to exercise his own power. Jesus discovers that there is more to wish for than simply feeding a hungry world, much as he and we would love to. But the truth is that the world whose hunger was satisfied this way would tomorrow simply be hungry again. Jesus discovers that there is more to wish for than ruling the world, much as he and we might wish to. But the truth is that governments don’t finally rule the world: they come and go, while God’s rule, encountered and celebrated in worship, never comes to an end. Jesus discovers that there is more to wish for than excitement and drama, much as he and we enjoy it. But the truth is such things are most often a distraction from the transformation Jesus truly brings.

Scripture: Luke 4: 1-13

The second temptation Jesus faces is a political one. Here he is, out in the wilderness, a long way from making the kind of difference in Israel and the world that the angels and the magi talked about at his birth. And here is an offer of glory and authority, an offer to rule over all the kingdoms of the world. This is the chance to set right injustice, to end violence, to legislate the kingdom of God. But Jesus doesn’t take the offer. He doesn’t because he’s learning where true power lies. Governments are important. They influence most people’s lives. But one can become obsessed about public office and the personalities in the public spotlight. Just imagine what power one would discover if one set that aside for a moment.

Scripture: Luke 4: 1-13

This gospel reading from Luke tells us that it isn’t just us that find the existence of suffering and injustice the hardest part of the gospel. Jesus seems to have found it difficult as well.

Jesus goes into the wilderness after his baptism just as Israel went into the wilderness after crossing the Red Sea, and he goes there to find out the same thing Israel went to find out. Jesus goes into the wilderness to find out what it means to have power.

Going The Distance

Scripture: Read and compare Matthew 10:39, 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:23-5, 17:33; and the even stronger language in Luke 14:26-7 and John 12:25.

Marathoners and African long-distance Olympians often remind us: we humans are amazingly capable runners – able to outdistance even great runners like cheetahs, which can attain great bursts for short distances. The great St. Louis / East St. Louis runner, Jackie Joyner-Kersee – being interviewed with her coach-husband, Bob Kersee by Bob Costas in 1996 after her racing and long-jump wins and losses – reminded us: life’s a long-distance run, not a sprint!

Encouragement

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” – 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

The apostles referred to Barnabas as the “son of encouragement.” After the conversion of Saul on the road to Damascus, it was Barnabas who brought him to the Apostles in Jerusalem. The Apostles were distrustful of Saul/Paul because of his persecution of Christians before his calling.

When nobody else believed in and saw the potential in Paul, Barnabas did. Paul may not have become the great Christian that he grew to be without encouragement from Barnabas.

“And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” – Luke 22:19

“Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” – Romans 15:7

When our oldest child was around six years old, she asked us when she would be able to take communion. As it goes with your oldest child, every new parental step seems to present itself as a momentous decision. We delayed answering our daughter while we dutifully conducted research about the “right” time for a Methodist child to take first communion. We read church materials. We talked with pastors. We debated and discussed.

Scripture: I Corinthians 15:51-56

When death took my wife and the Mother of my two young children, they asked me what I thought about life after death and asked for an explanation of what it must be like to die.

We talked about the fact that there are lots of things in the Bible that we don’t fully understand, but if we can trust God with our lives today, we should be able to trust Him after death.

Scripture: “...the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these...” – John14:12a

I love the way that writer Richard Ford (winner of the Pulitzer prize for Independence Day) resisted the suggestions of critics that he impose upon his characters thoughts and experiences that he felt they wouldn’t likely be able to think or talk about. “Eloquence or penetrating understanding can visit anybody,” he countered. Apparently Ford thought a lot like Jesus did about the value of everyday people.

Yet we often look to others to do the heavy spiritual lifting for us. “My wife is the religious one in the family,” a man said to me. “I wonder what the bishop says about this issue,” I asked during a spirited discussion with colleagues. “I don’t know much about the bible,” a parishioner offered.

Into this mentality of seeking the expert, Jesus validates and elevates our own role in helping to realize the new heaven and new earth he envisioned.

“Not with observation...”

Let me in Psalm 23:1
Let me be in you. Ephesians 5:1-2
Allow the warmth of your breath to mingle with mine – from the first breath of being until the last breath of life. Psalm 27:1
Let me be in you. Luke 10:11
Hear my voice echoing in your words. Mark 4:24

This is an excerpt from a song by Jars of Clay titled Art in Me:

“In your picture book I’m trying hard to see turning endless pages of this tragedy. Sculpting every move you compose a symphony. You plead to everyone, ‘see the art in me’.”

I love this song because it reminds me that God’s beautiful creation envelopes me, if only I will notice. Indeed, we are all works of art by the true Master. I sometimes just stop what I’m doing and think of His plea: “See the art in me.” And there it is. Always right in front of me, waiting for me to notice: the sea of blue overhead, the sound of leaves tossing about in the wind, the grinning faces and laughter in a house full of children, and my wife’s big brown eyes. Man am I blessed!

Unanswered Prayers

Scripture: Luke 18: 1-8, 35-43

“Some of God’s greatest gifts are unanswered prayers” according to the words of a popular Garth Brooks song from 1990. At the time I remember being completely taken aback by the sentiment that an unanswered prayer could be a gift. How could that be? If we as Christians are called to bring our joys, sorrows, deepest wishes and desires to God in prayer, then how can an unanswered prayer be anything but a rebuke from Him? It felt like a condemnation of the selfishness of one’s request, or the sense of being ignored by the One we worship.

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

“Pray continually.” Several other translations say “Pray without ceasing.” Sure, I do that, right? I mean, I pray when I get up in the morning, or when I get an email or a Facebook update from a friend with a request. I pray for good evaluations at work and for good weather for an event. I’ve even been known to pray that my favorite team wins their game, or that the moron who just cut me off driving 95 down the Tri-state gets pulled over. Somehow, though, I don’t really think that’s what Paul was referring to when he was talking to the Thessalonians.