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Thursday – June 30, 2022
Staci Orr
Galatians 4: 8-20
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?
… Sisters and brothers, I entreat you, become as I am, for I also have become as you are. You did me no wrong …. you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus. What then has become of your blessedness?
Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth? They make much of you, but for no good purpose …They want to shut you out, that you may make much of them. It is always good to be made much of for a good purpose, and not only when I am present with you, my little children, for whom I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you! I wish I could be present with you now …
WORDS OF HOPE
Throughout Galatians, Paul shows us that true freedom comes through being in a relationship with Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. This freedom helps us enjoy life because through Christ we are released from guilt, futility, fear; and in return, given hope about life.
In this text, we learn that the Galatians had repented of their idolatry and works-based religion and received the gift of salvation through faith in the person and work of Jesus. But now they were tempted to earn God’s favor by works again (circumcision and observing days) implying that Christ’s death wasn’t sufficient to save. In this text we learn of 3 main ways to stay in step with Christ.
First, Paul questions their absurd attempts to return to slavery by contrasting their former state as pagans to their current state as Christians. As pagans, when they did not know God, they worshipped idols and were caught up in a cycle of trying to keep the law to save themselves. But this had no effect because of their sinful nature. When they came to know God, they were freed from those futile efforts. So, turning back to law-keeping, even the law of Moses, to establish their righteousness meant returning to slavery and denying God.
Second, he reminds them of the joy and blessedness that they felt when they received the true Gospel, despite the repulsiveness of the messenger.
Third, Paul points out that he is not their enemy. He exposes the evil motives of the false teachers who made much of the Galatians merely for their own wicked ends. They wanted the Galatians to glory in them, not God. Go forth in love, knowing that you are loved, wanted, and transformed by Christ. Amen.
PRAYER
Let us pray: May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious unto you. May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Staci Orr
Previous Posts
SCRIPTURE Genesis 11:1-9 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ So, the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore, it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth. WORDS OF HOPE Today is English language day; set aside as a day to recognize English as a somewhat ubiquitous language throughout the world. Think if you will about how a Chinese pilot landing a plane in Rio de Janeiro will speak to the control tower in English. Consider how many people consider the King James Version of the Bible to be the pinnacle of translations. The discussion of the Bible and translations has come up several times in our small group. And during this sermon series on learning to love the Bible, it might be a good time to reflect on the number of translations into English that there are. The first English translation was the Wycliffe Bible. This Bible was created, contrary to the law of the church at the time which said the Bible in daily use had to be in Latin. Only advanced scholars and church authorities could read the original Greek or Aramaic. It was only after the Church of England broke away from the church of Rome that an authorized (King James Version) came into existence. Translating the Bible presents no doubt some issues. Just as the English of King James has changed, so too had the ancient Greek changed. It is possible that the language of the gospels from the first or second century C.E. was not understood in the same way by the time of Shakespeare. We see from the ancient story of the tower of Babel, that language can be a tool or a weapon. In his poem “the Stranglehold of English lit”, African poet Felix Mnthali speaks of English as a tool of colonization: …. Eng. Lit., my sister, was more than a cruel joke— it was the heart of alien conquest. … For your devotional time today stop and think about words and how we use them. If you are a native English speaker, think about the language you grew up using. Take a moment and find your favorite Bible passage and see if you can read it in more than one English translation. Are there differences and are they significant? Most importantly, do they speak to you? PRAYER Loving creator, give us a heart of understanding what it is you would have us do with our lives and in our lives. Help guide our thoughts and our speech so that language becomes a tool of communication and not a weapon that we use to minimize, marginalize, or discriminate against others. May all our words, be words of love; for You are love. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
SC RIPTURE John 13.34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you Love One Another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. WORDS OF HOPE A Love that Never Runs Out Oh, how lovely it is to give love. When I give love, it is like the walls of a dam burst open. I realize, that as the waters travel freely, I am able to give even more love than before. The heart is a muscle like any other, and the more it is exercised, the stronger it becomes. Here’s the magic of giving love: eventually, and sometimes immediately, you get it back. Love is not something you put in a jar and leave in your pantry, but it is given like a meal. That meal can feed five, five hundred, or five million, and like any meal, it gives strength to the one who eats it. This strength is actually a capacity for giving more love. So, as you give love, you create even more love, in yourself and others. Love teaches love, kindness teaches kindness, and mercy teaches mercy. Without knowing it, by giving a kind word, we are leaving something behind for the next generation. Look for every opportunity then, to love, for love turns this world into a paradise. If love teaches love, then hate teaches hate, cruelty teaches cruelty, and apathy teaches apathy. We must then overcome hate with love. Without wood a fire goes out. If we do not feed our neighbors hate, then there will be less hate. The same is true of love. There are a lot of fires in the world burning our people with a contagious hatred. We are surrounded by this flame. Our choices will either save this world or hasten its destruction. God’s people must be determined, dedicated, and diligent if we are to break the dams surrounding our hearts and cause love to flow like a mighty river. Overcome hate with love. Do not return hate for hate, but forgive, show mercy, and compassion. Then, you will have understanding. Love will lighten your heavy heart and change your enemy into a friend. PRAYER Loving and merciful Spirit, you have given us the most precious gift of love. Let us not bury it within ourselves. Help us to be vulnerable, and if we are injured for the sake of love, heal our hearts. Open our eyes to see the countless opportunities You have given us to love, and may we get it back a hundred-fold. Bless You Great Spirit for all that we shall receive. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Acts 4:1–4 While they were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple police, and the Sadducees confronted them, because they were annoyed that they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. So, they seized them and took them into custody until the next day since it was already evening. But many of those who heard the message believed, and the number of the men came to about five thousand. WORDS OF HOPE The Pharisees and other religious leaders believed getting rid of Jesus would stop the teachings, so hearing the disciples proclaim the name of Jesus, must have set them back. They were stunned to see, in spite of all their efforts, the followers of Christ only grew in boldness and number. Peter and John, having just begun their ministry, faced the same religious rulers who had assumed killing Jesus, would also end the Gospel message of the good news where ALL humankind is created equal. Having been filled with the Holy Spirit, the message Peter was sharing began reaching deep into the hearts of many who were being transformed by words of hope! This is just the beginning of opposition as the message of the Gospel begins to spread. Since Jesus had warned them, this would happen, they were no longer afraid to share the good news of Christ. The gospel of inclusion and freedom has survived natural disasters, political parties, wars, chaos, book burnings, and has been hidden in caves. Even today, we experience controlling political and religious leaders who try to crush movements that expose ways to end injustice. It’s so reassuring that no matter who or what tries, it is impossible to stamp out the Gospel. Through the crucifixion of Jesus the man, Jesus the Christ was resurrected, and the teaching of hope and love for ALL humankind is still very alive today! PRAYER God of all creation, thank you for the reminder that everyone is welcome at the table of Grace. Fill us with longing to continually share the “good news” of Christ! In Jesus name, Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna Jackson
SCRIPTURE Psalm 95:1-3, 6-7 Come, let us sing to our God; let us shout for joy to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before God's presence with thanksgiving, raising a loud shout with song. For the Most High is our God, the great sovereign over all else. Come, let us bow down and bend our knee and kneel before our God. For God is our Maker, in whose presence we live, and in whose hand we are held. Oh, that today I will listen to God's voice. WORDS OF HOPE The Psalms of Eastertide celebrate the victory of Jesus and the practical applications of being thankful to God. The central subject of today’s Psalm is about the surrender of our life and desires in order that God's perfect will may be lived through us. That sounds like a tall order, but we might say today it’s about dedicating our lives to God’s desires for us. But, do we know what that may mean? What we may have to do; what pattern of life activity will we express; what must we change or give up if we are to live according to God's will for us? That's a lot of unknown and big questions. We might say: "I'm kind of comfortable living the way that I am today". What if I don't want to make the changes that God asks me to make? Do I have confidence that God's will is better for my life? That last question is the real key which allows a person to dedicate their life to God. Can we place our confidence in God and in God's perfect goodness? For "God is our Maker" is a strong statement which acknowledges, that even in the midst of these questions, we can put our confidence in God's good desire for our life. Even though our parents were technically our makers, the very "stuff" (atoms) of which we are made and the purpose for our being are the products of the Holy One's creation. At our best and truest self, we are the precious product of God's good creativity. And as God follows the development of our life, God does not want the "shine of divine goodness" to be rubbed off our life and its potential action. We can dedicate our life to God with full assurance that divine goodness will make us into the remarkable creation of an always good God. PRAYER Loving Creator, help us to strive to shine in your divine goodness in all we say or do. May we reflect the light of Jesus. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Mark 16:14-18 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table, and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” WORDS OF HOPE This passage comes from what is called the “Long Ending of Mark”. It is not included in some versions of the Scriptures. Scholars agree that the wording and style is not the same as the rest of Mark and was probably added in the second century. It contains a number of claims that come with the great commission to “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation…” Then it gives a litany of things that believers will be able to do. If there was ever a reason to question the idea of “biblical inerrancy” it would be this passage for me. I have never tried to pick up serpents, drink poison, or cast out demons, and yet I consider myself a follower of Jesus. I suspect the writer of this addition to Mark wanted to offer “proofs” of the divinity of Jesus, and the snakes and tongues and casting out demons was a bit of marketing to make the message seem more important. Yet, it does not diminish the importance of this passage to me. I think of it as the ancient version of highlighting the text. Magic markers wouldn’t be invented for many years, but writers of theological books used startling imagery to emphasize not the miracle, but the importance of Jesus and his commission. We can read these texts as storybooks but that diminishes the value of them. I love the Bible and find abundant truth in its pages. It is truth that transcends the narratives and resonates with my soul. It challenges my intellect and exposes subtilties left by the authors that still speak to me thousands of years later. That is the majesty of the Scriptures. Not the stories, but the truths. PRAYER God of many names, lead me to find your revelation through the words passed down for centuries. Give me the curiosity to continue to explore these great works and find new meanings for my life today. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 7 “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… …a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak”. WORDS OF HOPE As I sit down to write, the coffee cup in front of me reads, “My brain has too many tabs open.” I suspect that this is true for many of us. Thus, many things in our lives that perhaps deserve our attention often get overlooked. How often do you think about your voice…not your voice as in what you have to say or are you being heard, but the physiology of your body that allows you to speak? Today is World Voice Day. Begun in Brazil in 1999, its observance quickly became worldwide as otolaryngologists, speech and language pathologists, and vocal instructors came together to talk about the importance of our voice and how we can care for it. I am one of those who, in the past, has not thought much about the “care and feeding” of my voice except when it fails me when I need it to sing. Perhaps we all could benefit from thinking more about caring for our voices and how and when we use our voices. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens… …a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak” The best thing that we can do to care for our voices, both its physicality and its use as a tool, is truly to know its depth and breadth. What does my voice sound like? Can I hear and feel when my voice is not healthy? Can I hear and feel when the words coming from my mouth are not my own? Sometimes the best thing we can do for our voice is to be quiet. I’d like to share a poem I wrote: Be Quiet Days arise When words feel inadequate. Cherish them. Be quiet. Draw, paint, go for a walk. Sew, meditate, plant a flower. Nap, listen, make music. In speechlessness, potency comes to words. “There is a time to be silent and a time to speak.” Our voices need rest so that when we are called to speak, they are strong enough physically to project the message and our words are strong enough to speak out for justice and truth, to answer the call to do the work of Christ here and now. PRAYER God, remind me often that my voice is a gift. It is my responsibility to care for it and use it wisely. Help me to know my voice and to discern when it needs to be quiet and when it should speak loudly and clearly. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare.
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Cathedral of Hope
Proclaiming Christ Through Faith, Hope and Love
5910 Cedar Springs Road | Dallas, TX | 75235
214-351-1901
info@cathedralofhope.com